A Help unto Devotion: Containing Certain Moulds or Forms of prayer, fitted to several occasions; & penned for the furtherance of those, who have more desire than skill, to pour out their souls by petitions unto God.  
By Sam. Hieron.  Phil. 4. verse 6. 
In all things let your requests be showed unto God, in Prayer and Supplication, with giving of thanks.  
Imprinted at London by H. L. for Samuel Macham, and are to be sold at his shop in Paul's Churchyard at the sign of the Bullhead, 1608.   

To the right Worshipful the Lady Mary Strode, of Newingham in Devon.  
MAdam, if I should undertake a discourse of the worth and excellency of Prayer, it would be much harder for me to keep measure, then to be furnished with matter. How it is commanded by God, and commended by the frequent practice of all the faithful, there is no man reading the Scripture can be ignorant: and what sweetness it brings to the Soul and Conscience, by having such a continual intercourse & communion with the Lord, I hope your Ladyship can witness from your own experience. This is all I will say on the behalf of Prayer, that as it is one of God's titles of Honour to be styled, The hearer of Prayers (Psal 65.2.) so to call upon the Name of the Lord is put for the whole duty and as it were the life and substance of a Christian. (1. Cor. 1.2. 2. Ti. 2.19.). Prayer is that which seasoneth all other services which we offer unto God, it is an argument of a man's effectual profiting by other exercises of godliness, it is a thing which the persecutors of the Saints, when they violently cause all public acts of worshipping God to be intermitted, cannot abridge until life itself be extinguished. Much talking there is of Prayer in the world: but if, setting aside men's lip-devotion, inquiry be made into them, what apprehension they have of their own wants, what conceit of the Majesty and presence of God, what knowledge and understanding of his promises, what care (when they come to pray) to watch over their own straggling thoughts, and to tie their hearts to that business of devotion, we shall find such an universal scarcity of these things, that it may be safely affirmed, that albeit there be many kneelers and speakers, and repeaters of words, yet there are few true petitioners unto God. Now among those few which make conscience to perform this duty as they ought, I have observed a great defect: namely, that for want of exercised wits, of knowledge in the Scriptures, and especially of experience in the power of godliness, and of a lively sense and distinct conceiving of their own personal necessities, they are not able to be their own messengers, nor to do their own errand, in presenting the sacrifice of Prayer before the Lord. They would pray with their families, but they know not how; they have a willingness upon other occasions to become suitors unto God but they cannot devise which way to begin. To help these, I have lately taken a little pains: not with an intent to bind their devotions to my words, (for who am I, that I should take upon me to limit the motions of another man's heart, to a form of my devising?) neither yet to cherish any in this their insufficiency to deliver their own apprehensions and particular cases unto God: but that by seeing the order and course of Prayer, and by acquainting themselves with words and forms of speech agreeing to the nature of such an exercise, they may at last, like little children, who by creeping, & by the leading of others, learn to go, be able to perform this holy duty with contentment to themselves, and with comfort also to others upon occasion. Having ended this little labour, I emboldened myself to offer it to your Ladyship: not so much for your own need (who I hope are able with Hannah, out of the abundance of inward feeling, to pour out your Soul before the Lord, 1. Sam. 1.15.16) but as a pledge of my love, and as a witness of my thankfulness unto God for his graces in you. And so leaving this Manuel with you, as a memorial of that respect which your Ladyship may many ways challenge from me, I pray God in Christ to keep you by his mighty Power through faith, unto Salvation.  
Modbury, the 10. of October. 1608. Your La. in all Christian duty, Sam. Hieron.   

To the Christian Reader.  
I Am not ignorant (good Reader) that set forms of Prayer are very distasteful unto many: They are adjudged to be a kind of confining and limiting of God's Spirit: And some which do allow them a lawful use in the Congregation, do yet not so well approve them for private purposes. For mine own part, as I favour neither their fondness who scarce account it praying, unless it be by a book; nor their carelessness, who labour not to attain to an ability of commending their personal occasions (even in words of their own conceiving) unto God: so I could never see good reason, why platforms of direction for those, who are yet but beginners in this spiritual exercise of Prayer should be thought any way inconvenient or needless amongst Christians. There is a great deal more art in the carriage of a suit to be put up unto God (especially when a man is to be the mouth of others, as in a family, or in visiting the sick, or the like occasion) than every one, though perhaps he have some good feeling and understanding in Religion, can at the first attain unto. Neither is it (as is pretended) any straightening or bounding of God's Spirit; but a means rather of quickening and stirring up the spirit of him that prayeth, when he shall see the necessity of bemoaning some corruptions, or of craving some graces, or of giving thanks for some blessings received, which himself did not so much as think upon before. Besides, that he may according as his spiritual feeling shall increase, enlarge any particular request, if it be not so full to his present case; or insert his own more personal concernements, which he, who went about only to give him some general directions, was not able to conjecture. And touching that which I do here offer to the world, I profess sincerely, that in my first undertaking it, I had no meaning to take upon me to set down laws for other men's devotions, or to prescribe any man in his particular occasions of going to the Lord, to speak so or so and no otherwise, as though I would reduce all supplications to be put up into the high court of Heaven, unto a proportion & scantling of my conceiving: He shall wrong me very much, whosoever shall so imagine. Only this was it I intended and thought: I saw the ignorance of that place, where I lived. I had often & earnestly commended Prayer. I had many times, with the best reasons I could persuaded the use of it in private families. I perceived withal in some, a better inclination to it, than power to perform it. Hereupon I thought with myself, that as familiar Catechisms, and plain Treatises have their use being joined to the public ministry, to bring those, which are yet but babes in Christ (1. Cor. 3.1.) unto knowledge; so also some help in this kind might be good, to beget feeling, and to be a guide to those which have as yet but stammering and lisping tongues, until they shall be able, having tongues as fined silver (Pro. 10.20.): plainly and distinctly to speak the language of Canaan (Isa. 19.18.). For this cause I gave my book no greater title than A HELP to DEVOTION, because I would not be mistaken, or thought to intend any thing else, but only to further their religious purpose, who would feign learn to pray orderly and effectually unto God. And in this course, I am sure, that I am not without Examples. Worthy Divines have in these latter times bestowed their pains this way: M. john Bradford, M. Edw. Deering, M. H. Smith, M. R. Rogers (pag. 421. of his 7. Treatises.) M. Brinsly (in the second part of the True Watch) and others whom I need not name. I might mention others of other countries, as M. Caluin (in the end of his catechism,) etc. But the warrant of the Scripture is above all. I will say nothing of those forms which we find appointed for public use in the Temple: that which I endeavour to justify, is the lawfulness of forms for private help. I might tell thee of the words of Prayer, which the Prophet bade the people to take unto them, and to say unto the Lord (Hos. 14.3): of the form which Habakkuk was wont to use for the ignorances of the people (Chap. 3.1.): of the many Psalms which are styled, Psalms of instruction, not only because the matter was of use to instruct Christians, but also because the very mould itself might remain as a help in Prayer for those, who should at any time fall into the like occasion, which the enditer of the particular Psalms was exercised with. These & other things might I insist upon: But I find a title given to one Psalm, which shall be to me in stead of many proofs, Psal. 102. It is this: A Prayer of the afflicted when he shall be in distress and power forth his meditation before the Lord. Which Psalm, though aiming perhaps at some more special affliction, in which the servants of God then were, yet inasmuch as it is reported in the title to be for the general use of an afflicted person (as indeed it is excellent for such an occasion) it seemeth to me abundantly to satisfy all those who shall doubt of the conveniency of such set directions  
Thus having acquainted thee with my whole intent, and laboured (lest thou shouldest be forestalled by any mis-opinion) to show warrant for my doing, I commend my endeavours to thee, and thee to the Lord, praying him to furnish thee with the spirit of supplication (Zech. 12.10.) that thou mayest be so full of holy matter (job 32.18.) and so abounding with gracious speech (Col. 4.6.) that thine ability to utter thine own feeling unto God, may bring much sweetness to thy Soul, and no less comfort to others, if thou be at any time occasioned to speak in the name of others unto his Majesty: Adding this withal, that if thou aim not at this grace, but content thyself still to speak no other words but such as are put into thy mouth, thou wrongest thyself greatly, and all those who have laboured to bring thee unto more perfection. Farewell.  
Thine in the Lord, Sam. Hieron.   

A short Advertisement, touching Preparation before Prayer. In which is showed 

1. The necessity of it,  
2. The manner of it.    

THe necessity of Preparation may appear many ways.  
1 By our saviours platform, in which the Petitions are not set down abruptly; but a solemn preface is prefixed, like a fair porch to a beautiful house: to teach us to frame our affections and set them in due order, before we draw near to speak unto the Lord.  
2 By express commandment: Be not rash with thy mouth, nor let thine heart be hasty to utter a thing before God. Eccles. 5.1. It is a dangerous thing to babble out undigested & unadvised words in his ears.  
3 By example. O GOD (saith David) mine heart is prepared, so is my tongue etc. Psal. 108.1. It was the difference betwixt him and hypocrites, that he washed his hands in innocency, before he would compass the Altar Psal. 26.6.  
4 By due proportion from outward things. If a man go before a Prince, or man of authority, he will think upon his carriage, he will set his tale in order, and meditate what to say: how much more than should we prepare when we come to speak to God, who is higher than the Kings of the Earth?   

2 The manner of Preparation stands in 

Praying,  
Meditating.    
1 PRaying: Marvel not that I make Praying a preparative to prayer. A little eating prepareth a weak stomach, and setteth an edge upon the appetite to eat more; so in prayer: Therefore David before prayer, prayed, Let my prayer be directed in thy sight as incense etc. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips, Ps. 141.2.3. A lifting up of the soul to heaven, with a desire of direction, is a good preparative.  
2 Meditating, upon three things: 1 GOD'S majesty: 2 GOD'S promises: 3 Our own vileness. The reason is this: There are 3 things chiefly requisite in prayer which are helped by this threefold meditation: 1 Humility and lowliness of spirit, begotten by the due consideration of God's Majesty; 2 Confidence and assurance to be heard, bred by the knowledge of God's promises; 3 Fervency of affection, springing from the apprehension of our own vileness.  
That the majesty of God must be thought upon, is proved, Eccles 5.1. He that speaks to God, is bidden to remember, that God is in heaven.  
That the promises must be mused upon, appears, 2. Sam. 7.27. Thou hast revealed unto thy servant etc. Therefore hath thy servant been bold to pray etc. Genesis, 32.11.12. I pray thee deliver me, etc. for thou sayedst, I will surely do thee good. What courage can we have to go to the throne of grace without the warrant of promise?  
That our own vileness must be remembered, it is evident. Gen. 32.10. I am less than the least of thy mercies. Ezra, 9.6. O my God, I am ashamed and confounded to lift up mine eyes, etc. for our iniquities are increased, etc. Thus then prepare thyself to pray: Exercise thy thoughts before hand upon these three things: 1 what a presence full of majesty thou must come into: 2 what sweet promises he hath made to encourage thee: 3 what need thou hast to fly to his mercy. This will furnish thee with humility tempered with cheerfulness, & both whetted on & quickened by the feeling of thy own necessity.  
To help thy meditations of God's majesty, remember Psal. 104.1. O Lord my God, thou art exceeding great, thou art clothed with glory and honour etc. 1. Tim. 6.16. who only hath immortality, and dwelleth in a light that none can attain to, etc. and such like places.  
To supply thee with words of promise: consider Psa. 50.15. Call upon me etc. so will I deliver thee etc. Is. 65.24. yea before they call I will answer, and whiles they speak I will hear. john, 14.13. Whatsoever you ask in my name, that will I do: and many such testimonies.  
To bring thee to see thy own vileness, ponder job, 5.14. Man drinks iniquity like water. cha. 25.4. He cannot be clean that is borne of a woman. Psalm, 51.5. I was borne in Iniquity etc. Romans, 7.18. I know that in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. Gather account of thy particular sins as job did, Chapter, 9.3. View thyself often in the glass of the Law.    


1. A Morning Prayer, for private Families.  
MOst gracious GOD and loving FATHER, in all humility of soul, and unfeigned acknowledgement of our bounden duty, we present ourselves here before thy throne of majesty, and glory, desiring in some measure to show our thankfulness for the multitude of thy mercies heaped upon us thy most unworthy servants. By thee at the first we were fearfully and wonderfully made, thou coveredst us in our mother's wombs, thou gavest us the shape of men & women, when it was free for thee to have equalled us us unto thy basest creatures: since, it hath pleased thee to preserve us, to watch over us and to guard us by thy providence, to open thy hand, and to replenish us with good things, to give us food and raiment, health, liberty & peace: O Lord thy compassions fail not, but they are renewed every morning: even in this night past, we have received an apparent evidence of thy love: For whereas, for the sins committed the day before, thou mightest even in the dead of sleep have taken our souls from us, and so suddenly have brought us to our account, it hath been thy pleasure yet to spare us; and not only so, but to refresh us with quiet rest, and to bring us in safety to the beginning of this day. Grant (O Lord) we pray thee, that the ordinary use of these thy kindnesses, may not make us the less to esteem them: but so affect our hearts with the apprehension of them, that we may learn to admire thy mercy, which dealest so graciously with such unthankful persons as we have always been, and may even bind ourselves to strive to show all obedience & duty to thee, which dost so enlarge thy goodness unto us. But chiefly (O Lord) raise up (we beseech thee) our hearts and our affections from these outward favours (the least of which notwithstanding is greater than the best of our deservings) and draw us to the serious consideration of those blessings, which do more directly concern a better life. Make us thankfully mindful of the grace of election, by which thou freely choosest us in Christ to be vessels of mercy, before we were; of thy sending thy son out of thine own bosom, being in thine own form, to take on him the form of a servant, and to become obedient unto the death even the death of the Cross for our sakes; of thy calling us out of the kingdom of darkness by the power of the gospel preached, of thy shining into our hearts by the enlightening of thy spirit; of quickening us when we were dead in trespasses and sins; of thy begetting us again unto a lively hope; of the first fruits of the spirit, and of that earnest of our inheritance which thou hast given us: of the daily free use and liberty of thy word, whereby that great mystery of godliness yea even thy whole counsel is clearly revealed to us. O Lord teach us to consider what miserable creatures we were in ourselves, & what a fearful case we had yet been in, if thou hadst left us to ourselves: that so the view of these unspeakable and undeserved favours may even ravish our spirits, and so possess our hearts that we may constantly resolve, henceforth to give up ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto thee, and to devote all our powers both of soul and body to the glory and honour of thy name. And (Lord) enable us hereunto we pray thee; for we are not suffcient of ourselves, to think any thing, as of ourselves, we are naturally reprobate to every good work. Open therefore the eyes of our mind, that we may see what is good, and what thou requirest of us; teach us to make thy word our delight & counsellor; that by it we may be informed in thy paths: put thy spirit within us, and cause us to walk in thy statutes; let our ears continually hear a word behind us, saying, This is the way; give us hearts of flesh, yielding, & pliable affections; subdue the crookedness of our nature, and bring it under the obedience of Christ. And when thou hast entered us into a good course, uphold us therein by thy all-sufficient grace, establish us in every word and good work, fill us with the fruits of righteousness, let us not be idle nor unfruitfull-in our profession: but grant that we may be even rich in good works, and so may adorn the doctrine of thee our Saviour in all things, making the adversaries of thy truth ashamed, when they shall have nothing concerning us to speak evil of. And shield us (O Lord) we earnestly entreat thee, against the malice and rage and fury of the devil: give us wisdom to discern his policies, and courage to resist even his most fiery assaults: make us wise against the beguiling enticements of this sinful world: let us not be carried away with the stream of these corrupt times: harden our faces, against the reproaches & enmities of evil men: suffer us not to be wearied nor to faint in our minds for any tribulations, sanctify unto us every affliction, that it may be a means to purge out our corruptions. Draw our minds from the love of this present world, teach us to use it as if we used it not, grant that we may ever remember that we have here no continuing city; that so we may seek for that kingdom that cannot be shaken, but is eternal in the heavens: Cause us to depend upon thy providence, and to cast our care and burden upon thee; assuring ourselves that thou which hast given us Christ, canst not but with him give us all things also. And (Lord) if at any time we fall by occasion into a fault (as who are we, that we should presume?) put under thy hand we beseech thee, deliver us out of the mire that we sink not, let not sin swallow us up, let it not grow strong upon us, lest we perish. Enable us unto diligence and faithfulness in our several callings, teach us to lift up our hearts to thee for a blessing upon our endeavours, and to remember that we are always in thy presence; that so we may study to walk with thee and to approve our very thoughts unto thee. Give us a sober use of thy creatures, make us ready to reach out our hands unto the wants of others; beget in us a godly jealousy over ourselves, that we may walk circumspectly, taking heed to ourselves, in our eatings, in our apparel, in our company, in our recreations, often considering our ways, and labouring quickly after every error, to turn our feet into thy testimonies. And (Lord) cause us to be earnestly mindful of the estate of thy whole Church: bless all kingdoms and states professing thy truth, be gracious especially to this our kingdom, forgive the crying sins of the times, continue thy gospel, disappoint the hope and expectation of all Papists, let them perish as many as have evil will at Zion, discover Antichrist more and more, enlarge the territories of thy church, establish thy kingdom of grace, hasten the kingdom of glory. Heap thy blessings upon our gracious King, make him a further instrument of much good unto thy chosen, bless his Queen, prosper the work of thine own hands begun in the young Prince, show mercy to the rest of the royal progeny. Be gracious to the Council, to the Court, the Nobles, the Gentry of the Realm, grant that they may all aim at the honouring of thee, by whom they have received honour amongst men; Be with the Magistracy & Ministry of the Realm, make thy word to grow by the labours of those whom thou hast appointed to the service of thy church: Contain the subjects in their due obedience to authority, bring to nought all tumultuous & rebellious practices; comfort all thine afflicted servants, refresh them with a sweet feeling of thy favour. Give us compassionate hearts, and a fellow feeling of others miseries; prepare us unto the day of trial, and keep us by thy mighty power, through faith, unto salvation. Grant us these good things, for Christ's sake: in whose name, we commend ourselves and our suits unto thee, saying as he hath taught us,  
Our Father etc.   

2. An Evening Prayer for private Families.  
O Lord our GOD, most merciful and gracious in jesus christ, among other thy mercies, with which thou dost even follow us thy most unthankful servants, we acknowledge this to be none of the least, that we have this comfortable freedom of coming into thy presence, there to pour out our souls before thee, and to lay open our necessities unto thee. We pray thee teach us to value this privilege according to the true worth thereof; that we may come together to the performance of this duty with glad hearts, and cheerful spirits, rejoicing in it that we have opportunity given us, to testify some part of that great duty, which in many respects we own unto thy majesty. And now (Lord) being come before thee, we cannot but confess the vileness of our estate: we were conceived in sin, and in sin we have continued all our days, we have even drunk iniquity like water, we have drawn it after us, and tied it unto us as with cart-ropes, wickedness hath been sweet in our mouth, we have favoured it and would not forsake it: we have even made a mock of sin, and it hath been a pastime to us to do wickedly. Thou hast often called us, but we have still refused: thou hast again and again stretched out thine hand, but we have not regarded: thou hast sought to reclaim us, but we have hardened our necks as it were iron sinews, and have hated to be reform. Thou hast waited to have mercy upon us, thy spirit hath striven with us, thy very bowels have been troubled for us; and how graciously hast thou called upon us by thy word? saying, Return ye sons of Adam: why will ye die? Come unto me and ye shall find rest for your souls: Yet we notwithstanding have despised thy patience, we have abused thy goodness, we have turned thy graces into wantonness, and have given thee cause to heap upon us all those fearful plagues, and punishments, which in the extremity of thy law are belonging to the wicked. When we look into our hearts, we see nothing but a confused heap of gross corruptions, vanity, ignorance, frowardness, unteachablenes, dullness, unwillingness and unaptness unto good, proneness & readiness to any manner of evil, secure, irreligious, profane, unclean envious, covetous and greedy thoughts, perverse and disordered affections, all these (as it were) marching together to rebel against thee, and leading us captive unto sin. The very wisdom of our flesh is death, and the spirits of our minds are defiled: when we look forth into our lives, we behold sins more in number then the hairs of our head: when we take view of ourselves in the glass of thy Law, we can see in our bodies and souls, in our outward and inward man, nothing but ugliness and deformity. Yea the sins of this one day are sufficient to bring down upon us the eternal weight of thy displeasure. How negligent have we been in our callings! how have we yielded to our own unbridled lusts in the use of thy creatures! how have we cherished in ourselves worldly, carnal and voluptuous thoughts! how many blessings have we unthankfully enjoyed, never thinking upon thee which didst bestow them! how have we misspent this precious time which thou vouchsafest us! how many good opportunities have we let slip, by which we might have edified ourselves, & done good to others! how negligently have we kept our hearts, by means whereof sathan hath got great vantage against us! how slenderly have we bewailed the iniquities of the times! how poorly have we striven against our own corruptions! O LORD, if thou shouldest straightly mark our iniquities, O Lord, how shall we stand, where shall we appear, what shall become of us? what answer shall we be able to make thee to one of a thousand. And yet (most gracious God) which is worst of all, custom in evil, hath bred such a hardness in us, and hath brought such a crust upon our consciences, that we cannot be persuaded that thy wrath is so terrible, or our sin so grievous, or our estate so woeful as indeed it is. Hence it cometh that we do not stand in such awe of thy majesty, as we should, we do not so tremble at thy justice, nor esteem thy promises and mercies as we ought to do: we beseech thee therefore to take the stony hearts out of our bodies, and to put new spirits into our bowels, that we may with feeling and with a lively and sensible apprehension, confess ourselves to be, as we are; poor, and wretched, and miserable, and blind, & naked, such as in whom there is no goodness, such as to whom there is nothing due but shame and confusion of face for ever. And here (Lord) according to that measure of spiritual feeling which by thy grace we have attained to, we do utterly renounce ourselves, we do wholly disclaim all hope of help by ourselves, we account all that is in us but as dross and dung, and do most earnestly entreat thee to look upon us in thy son jesus Christ; accepting his death and his passion as a sufficient, absolute and complete discharge for all our sins whatsoever. O Lord, let the chastisement of our peace be upon him, and let us be healed with his stripes: we have no other name under heaven in which we can be saved: and we know that thou hast sealed him, and sent him into the world, to save thy people from their sins: we beseech thee therefore for his sake to be at peace with us, put away our transgressions like a cloud, and our sins as a mist, forgive our iniquities, and remember our offences no more. And withal seal up to our souls and consciences the feeling of this thy love by the gracious testimony of thy spirit, that we may know that there is peace in heaven for us, and that Christ is made of thee unto us Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption, and that nothing shall ever be able to separate us from thy love in him. We do beg this at thy hands, so much the rather, because we see the vanity of all things in this world; all things in it are subject to uncertainty: they are all lighter than vanity itself; But thy love in Christ is firm and perpetual. For, with thee there is no shadow of change, thy calling and gifts are without repentance; and therefore we pray thee, settle us in the assured persuasion of thy love, to the end that we may have some comfortable understanding, that whatsoever do be fall us here, howsoever we be tried, yet after all, we shall lay down our heads in thy peace, and be made partakers of thy glory. In the mean space, so long as thou shalt be pleased to respite the days of pilgrimage upon this earth, we pray thee, do not leave us to ourselves, neither forsake us; but give us, as pledges of thy love, those Spiritual blessings in heavenvly things, wherewith thou art wont to furnish thy chosen; that so we may make our conversation such as becometh the Gospel, we may never discredit our profession, or be a scandal and offence unto others, but rather by our holy carriage may provoke and win others unto thee. Help us to this end, we beseech thee, against our manifold infirmities, against those evils to which our natures do most incline, enable us to shake off that sin that hangeth so fast on: strengthen us to every good & holy duty, make us perfect in good works, sanctify us throughout, and keep our whole spirits, souls and bodies blameless unto the coming of jesus Christ.  
Make us thankful (as becometh us) for thy many favours, for that continual preservation which thou afford us, for the comforts of this day both to our souls and bodies, for thy enlarging our time and opportunity to repent: grant, we pray thee, that our thankfulness may not stand only in outward shows, but that we may be thankful in deed and in truth, labouring to be dutiful unto thee, which art so merciful unto us.  
And inasmuch as, O Lord, we do profess to believe the Communion of Saints, therefore it becometh us to be mindful of others in our Prayers besides ourselves: we are suitors to thee on the behalf of all thy people, sparsed over the face of the earth: thou (O Lord) art privy to their several wants: thou art only able to make a gracious supply: we beseech thee for them as for our own souls. More particularly, we power out our souls before thee for those Churches which amongst us thou hast planted and united under one government. Our sins (O Lord) chief our contempt of thy glorious Gospel, do deserve a curse, even that thou shouldst remove our candlestick, and clean put out the light of thy holy word, and withal make us a by word to the world by some extraordinary judgement; But, we pray thee in Christ, vouchsafe to reverse those plagues which we have deserved, continue those favours which we have hitherto enjoyed, continue and enlarge the freedom of thy word, establish the truth of Religion amongst us by a perpetual decree, both for us and for our posterity after us. To this end bless all good means; above others, our Sovereign and King, enable him every day more and more to the discharge of that great duty wherewith thou hast entrusted him; lengthen his days, prosper his Reign, defeat his enemies: give him and us comfort in his Queen, and joy in his posterity; Increase wisdom in his Council, faithfulness in his servants, loyalty and true-heartednesse in his subjects. Stir up Magistrates and men in Authority, to seek the advancement of thy glory and the wealth of thy people. Make thy Ministers able and willing to publish the secret of the Gospel, water their endeavours with the dew of heaven, that daily such as belong unto life eternal may be added to the Church. And seeing thou art pleased to exercise divers of thy servants with the cross, some with sickness of body, some with perplexity of spirit, some with loss of goods, some with restraint of liberty, some in one kind, some in another, we pray thee to sweeten their afflictions and to season their sorrows with the comfort of thy spirit; furnish them with a measure of patience agreeing to the proportion of their trials, and put an end to their grievances when thou shalt see it fit.  
And (O Lord) make us ready for affliction: teach us to remember, that we must through many tribulations enter into thy blessed kingdom.  
In our health, make us mindful of sickness, of death, and of our last account; that these things may not come upon us as a snare, but that we may be prepared always in some good measure, to submit ourselves unto thy most wise and holy appointments.  
And now, O Lord our God, we pray thee, to bear with the weakness and coldness of our Prayers. Take us this night into thy blessed tuition: we know that thou dost neither slumber nor sleep, keep us from evil, keep us from the malice of Satan, from security and carelessness, from dullness and drowsiness of spirit, that if it shall be thy pleasure to let us live until the morning, we may become so much the fit to serve thee in our several callings, so as may be most for the glory of thy great Name, through jesus Christ: in whose Name we commend ourselves and our unworthy Prayers unto thee, saying as he hath directed us in the Gospel, Our Father, etc.   

3. A Morning Prayer for a private Person.  
O Almighty Father, the Father of our Lord jesus Christ, and in him my Father also, how unworthy and wretched a Creature were I, if receiving so many blessings from thee I should not stir up myself to return some thankfulness unto thee for the same! It is even thou (O Lord) which from my first being until now, hast covered me under thy wings, and under thy feathers I have been sure. My body & soul, my health, my strength, my maintenance, whence have I these things but from thee? The safety of this night, the quiet rest, wherewith I have been refreshed, to whom can I ascribe it but only unto thee? That I have lived hitherto, that I have not been swallowed up with some sudden judgement, that Satan had not had his will upon me, that I know the way and the means unto a better life, that I am delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of thy dear Son, that I have daily access into thy glorious presence, whence are all these, but from the freedom of thy grace?  
If thou hadst given me my desert, I should have perished long ago: it is from thy mercy alone that I am not consumed.  
O Lord make me ashamed of mine unthankfulness, wound my heart with the consideration of my own dullness, whom so many kindnesses have not wrought unto more obedience. And vouchsafe, I pray thee, notwithstanding the smallness of my deserving, yet to look graciously upon this my morning sacrifice of praise, which I do here tender unto thy Majesty: let not, I beseech thee, the scantness and barrenness of my service, make thee to turn away thine eyes, and to have no regard unto mine offering; But as thou art wont to spare thy servants even as a man spareth his own son that serveth him, and in them to accept the will for the full performance: so be pleased to look upon me in jesus Christ, and for his sake to remit my former ungratefulness, and to strengthen me by thy grace for the time to come, in some good measure to reform the same. And to the end (O God) that I may manifest the truth of my desire to be thankful, I beseech thee, to beget in me a holy care both this day and for ever, to walk worthy of that calling whereunto I am called, to study to please thee with reverence and with fear; & by a blameless, pure and unrebukable conversation, to shine as a light amongst men. I cannot, I confess, do this of myself, I have in me the same corruption of nature which the most wicked hath: I entreat thee therefore to work in me that which is pleasant in thy sight: Give me a clean heart and a right spirit: make me to understand aright the way of thy precepts, direct me in the path of thy commandments, knit my soul unto thee, and make it to cleave unto thy testimonies: stay me, and 'stablish me, that my footsteps may not slide. Crucify my flesh with the affections and lusts: mortify my members which are on earth: suppress and subdue that law in my members, which leads me captive unto the law of sin: Grant that I may sensibly feel the power of Christ's death killing corruption in me, and the power of his resurrection raising me up unto newness of life; Make me to resolve, to renounce even my sweetest and best-pleasing sins, and not to take liberty to myself to continue in any known ungodliness. Let it be enough that I have hitherto given the reins unto mine own lusts: grant that hereafter I may take no thought for the flesh, to content it, but may strive rather to curb and to subdue it, and to bring it under the yoke of due obedience. And (good Lord) increase my faith, and better my feeling and apprehension of thy love, that I may with courage and cheerfulness run the race which is set before me; Bless me also this day in the duties of my calling. Idleness and godliness cannot agree: and it is thy will, that in the sweat of my face I should eat my bread: Preserve me from all fraudulent, guileful, oppressing, greedy courses: draw my affections from the love of the world: fix my heart upon the things which are above: If things succeed according to my mind, make me thankful to thee which hast given the blessing: If any cross come, make me patiented and careful to profit by every chastisement. And because the daily occasions of danger to my soul are infinite, teach me to put on thy whole armour, and to keep my heart with all diligence, to furnish myself with holy meditations, to make a covenant with mine eyes, to keep my mouth with a bridle for the avoiding of all filthy communication, to use such words as may minister grace unto the hearers, to be sober in diet, wary in disports, moderate in apparel, choice in my company, and ever to practise that continual fear which hath a promise of blessedness. Finally (Lord) so guide me through the course of this whole day, both in my private and more public employments, that if I live by thy sufferance until night, I may have much comfort in the taking notice of thy grace and goodness towards me: and all this for Christ jesus sake thy only Son, and my alone Saviour. Amen.   

4. An Evening Prayer for a private Person.  
MOst merciful God and gracious Father in jesus Christ, were it not that thou hast made a gracious promise in thy word, that whatsoever is asked of thee in the name of thy Son, shall be bestowed, I should not dare to press into thy presence, being guilty to myself of so many sins which I have heaped up in thy sight, from the beginning of my days until this present. I am by nature (O Lord) the child of wrath, a vassal of Satan, no better than a very firebrand of hell. It is thy great mercy, that I escaped the fury of thy wrath, due unto me at the very instant of my birth, in respect of that mass of corruption which I brought with me from my my mother's womb. Neither have I, since I came to understanding, any whit amended or bettered my first estate: but I have added to it a numberless number of transgressions, breaking every of thy commandments by thought, word and deed, sinning in many things against knowledge, against conscience and against that light which thou hast given me; yea, clean against many vows and promises of better obedience. I have no colour of excuse, nothing have I to plead in the defence of my many slips: If I dispute with thee, I must needs lay my hand upon my mouth, and learn to abhor myself in dust and ashes. And (Lord) give me, I beseech thee, a fleshy and melting heart, that nothing may more affect me, or touch me more deeply then to see my own vileness, and how disobedient and stubborn I have been towards thee, which hast even heaped upon me so many favours. Make me ashamed of my barrenness and unfruitfulness in my profession, who have given thee just cause to range me among those hypocrites which make a show of godliness, but yet deny the power thereof. Beget in me that godly sorrow which causeth true repentance never to be repent of; that I may be grieved in my very soul for my sins, not so much because of the danger of hell that followeth, as because I have offended thee, the love of whose majesty ought to be a sufficient motive to obedience. And for the furtherance of my humiliation & sorrow, cause me, O Lord, to search & to try my ways, to call myself to a strait account, that I may see my sins in particular, the vanity of my heart, my extreme deadness & security, my pride & haughtiness of spirit, my backwardness to all good services, my worldly-mindedness, my ambitious rising and craving thoughts, my want of charity & mercy to others, my miscarriage in my place & calling, my idle & unbeseeming speeches, my offensive & scandalous behaviour: thus (O Lord) make me careful to rip up my heart and life, that so I may set my sins in order before me, & may thereby become the more humble & the more forward to cast down myself before thee, & to judge myself, that I may not be judged of thee. Yet withal (most gracious God) make me able in the midst of all this, to reach out the hand of faith, & to lay hold upon jesus Christ, whom thou hast ordained to be the reconciliation for my sins. I know (O Lord) the virtue of his blood, that it can make my sins, though they were as crimson, yet to become as white as snow. O then (I beseech thee) cover my filthy nakedness with his glorious righteousness; cloth me with the garments of his Salvation, that so thereby I may be holy and unblamable & without fault in thy sight. Speak peace unto my Conscience by thy holy Spirit. Say unto my soul, I am thy Salvation. My faith (O Lord) is but weak and poor: strengthen it, I beseech thee, and bring it forward, by thy mighty working, unto more perfection. Thou hast promised not to quench the smoking flax, nor to break the bruised reed: bear then, I pray thee, with my scantness, and help my unbelief, perfit the work of thy own hands, perform it until the day of jesus Christ. My faith is that I must live by; it is my victory: thou (O Lord) in mercy hast begun it: cherish it (I beseech thee) together with all those graces which accompany salvation, that they may be in me, as a well of water, springing up into everlasting life. And grant, that I may not be presumingly secure touching mine own estate, but may ever and anon be proving and examining myself, whether I am in the faith or no; and that I may also study and strive to give evidence of my faith, by showing forth good works, and by bringing forth good fruit, even fruit worthy amendment of life. I am compassed about with many weaknesses, and (as I have found by the experience of this one day) Satan is full of malicious cunning, to work upon all advantages; O Lord, strengthen me to resist him, give me holy wisdom to to discover his sleights, and grace to withstand his most sharp assaults. Arm me also against the reproaches and obloquys of the world. I have learned in thy word, that if I serve thee in sincerity, my name shall be put out as evil amongst men: give me both care to carry myself out of the reach of just exception, and resolution also to sacrifice my credit & estimation, yea, even my life itself if need be, to thy glory.  
Teach me to learn of the author and finisher of my faith, to despise the shame, and to endure the speaking against of sinners, in respect of that eternal weight of joy and glory which is set before me. And now (Lord) with the bowing of my Soul, I bless thy name for this days preservation. How many evils have I escaped to which I was subject by nature, and to which I had made myself subject through sin? It is thou (Lord) only which makest me to dwell in safety. Stretch out the wings of thy grace & protection over me this night: though sleep seize upon the eyes of my body, yet let not security oppress my soul: keep me from idle fancies & from vain dreams: give me a sober and sanctified use of all outward refresh, that I may always in all things aim at this one thing, namely, how I may be the better fitted to serve thee faithfully in my place and calling; and that for Christ jesus his sake, thy only Son, and through thy mercy, my loving Saviour, Amen.   

5. A more particular Morning Prayer on the beginning of a Sabbath day.  
MAnifold (O Lord) are thy mercies, & thy goodness is infinite. In every particular which befalleth me, I have abundant experience of thy love. It is much (most gracious God) that I, which have so many ways provoked thee, should be let to live, to behold the light and comfort of the day: But much more is it, that having been heretofore a profaner of thy holy day, a barren and an hypocritical professor of thy word, a fruitless and an unprofitable hearer, I should yet enjoy the blessed opportunity of another Sabaoth. How justly mightst thou long since have fatted up my heart and given me over unto a reprobate mind, taking from me the comfortable and happy freedom of going into thy house, and of giving attendance upon the posts of thy doors! O teach me (I pray thee) to value thy mercy in this behalf according to the true worth thereof: Suffer me not slightly to entertain either this or any other of thy favours. And, as thou hast brought me to the beginning of this holy rest: so enable me, (I beseech thee) to thee sanctifying it, and to such a kind of spending the same as thou requirest. Teach me to remember that it is thine own ordinance, even one of those unchangeable laws, which thou wrotest with thine own finger, that this day should after a more special manner be diverted & devoted to thy service, & that thou hast not therefore restrained outward employments in our callings because idelenes pleaseth thee, or because ease given unto the flesh is a part of thy worship; but that thou hast in thy infinite wisdom so appointed it, that being freed from all other encumbrances, we might wholly apply our selves, either to the public or private exercises of godliness Give me therefore grace (I most humbly entreat thee) that I may call thy Sabbaoth a delight to consecrate it as glorious unto thee, and that I may beware of doing mine own ways, or of seeking mine own will, or of speaking vain words, and may even bind myself to a serious and continued course of serving thee in the practice of such duties as belong to the hallowing of this day. I know (O Lord) that herein I shall meet with many lets; mine own corrupt nature will repine & think this a yoke and a burden that cannot be endured: abroad in the world, I shall see many vain fashions, followed by great troops, making thy day a day of carnal pleasure; I shall be derided and scorned, if I refuse to do as others do. I shall meet also with many cunning persuaders, which will seek by plausible reasons to draw me from diligence and constancy in this course. O Lord (I beseech thee) even with the bowing of my heart, to make me strong against all these withdrawments: Grant that I may more esteem obedience to thee, then either the contenting of mine own sensual affections, or the avoiding of reproach among profane persons, or the satisfying of men; be their pretences, what they may be. I am taught (O Lord) & I do believe it, that thy yoke is easy, & that thy commandments are not grievous: & I know that by a holy use in these religious services, I shall make them so familiar unto me, & shall also find that exceeding sweetness in them, that I shall even long for thy Sabaoth before it comes, & the time will seem short unto me that is so bestowed. And for this day (most loving Father) I pray thee bless unto me the particular businesses thereof. In praying, give me reverence to thy Majesty, sense of my own wants, faith in thy promises, fresh remembrance of thy former kindnesses, charitable & compassionate & yielding affections towards others. In hearing vouchsafe me an unlocked & an understanding heart, a right judgement, meekness of spirit, liveliness of affection, fastness of memory. In communicating at thy table, bestow on me an humbled soul, a hungering heart, a conscience purged from dead works, power of sweet meditation upon the death of Christ. In looking upon the administration of Baptism, afford me mindfulness of mine own vow, remorse for my often failing in that solemn promise, earnestness of desire for the good of the baptised, joy for the increase of thy Church. In singing, take from me all both dullness and vanity, make me to sing with a grace in my heart, still striving to lift up my soul unto thee. Enlarge my heart towards others, as occasion shall be offered, that I may be ready to give to those that want, forward in every good work, comfortable to the sick, tender hearted to those whom thou hast humbled, apt to make peace, where discord is. Let all works of mercy be a delight unto me, and make me carefulll not to stay till I am provoked, but to seek occasions to do good. And when I am private (O Lord) sanctify my thoughts, that I may meditate in good things, and may hide thy word in my secret parts, and may love it, and especially that I may show the fruit of it in all my conversation. Finally, I humbly pray thee, so to guide me both in public and private duties, that when it cometh to evening, I may feel my knowledge to be increased, my faith strengthened, my soul & conscience abundantly refreshed, and all this for Christ jesus his sake, & for thine own Names sake Amen.   

6. Another Prayer something more special, respecting the hearing of God's word.  
Eternal God, most gracious and merciful in jesus Christ, every good giving & every perfect gift cometh down from thee: thou hast commanded that if any man lack wisdom he should ask of thee, & thou hast promised to deny nothing that is asked of thee in thy Son's name; In obedience unto this thy commandment, & in assurance of thy readiness to make good thy promise, I do here cast down myself before thee, praying thee, as at all other times, so now especially to be good unto me. I am now (O Lord) by thy gracious providence, to be a partaker of thy holy word, the preaching whereof is the ordinary means appointed by thee to save my Soul, & to draw me out of the power of sathan unto thine own self. I, for my part, am unworthy of so great a favour as to be admitted to hear it, and I am every way unfit & unable to hear it with profit. My heart is full of blindness & ignorance, my affections are froward and untractable. I am even reprobate by nature unto every good duty: I am dull of hearing, slow of conceit, backward to entertain, but apt to let slip any good instruction. I beseech thee in jesus Christ, by the working of thy spirit, to reform within me these corruptions: Make me as a new borne babe to desire the sincere milk of thy most sacred word: grant that I may rejoice at it, as one that findeth a great spoil, let it be better unto me than thousands of gold and silver; Open my heart, as thou didst the heart of Lydia, that I may even with a kind of hunger and greediness attend unto the things which are delivered: clear the eyes of my mind, & anoint them with that precious salve of thy spirit, that the scales of ignorance may fall from them, and that I may see the wonders of thy Law, even thy hid wisdom, which my nature of itself is not able to discern: And, because thou hast promised to guide the humble in thy way, and to reveal thy secret to the meek, take from me, I pray thee, a proud heart, teach me to become a fool in myself, that I may be wise in thee: Suffer me not to measure the mysteries of thy kingdom by mine own blind reason and corrupt affection; but give me grace to deny myself, and to labour to bring mine own thoughts into captivity under Christ, that I may not dare to oppose mine own conceits and fancies unto the majesty of thy truth revealed in thy word. Give unto the Preacher, a door of utterance, that he may open his mouth boldly to publish the secret of thy Gospel. Direct his tongue that he may speak unto my conscience, & that if there be any close corruption lurking in me (as Lord, who can understand his faults) the searching power of thy word may discover it, and rip it up even to the very bottom. And vouchsafe unto me that meekness of spirit, and such calm and yielding affections, that I may not repine nor murmur at reproof, but may love him rather that rebuketh, and may take it as a special favour from thee, that I am not suffered to go on in sin, nor given over to mine own corruptions. In every point of holy doctrine taught me, make me to remember who it is the speaketh by the mouth of man, that I may receive the word as a message from thee, whether it be comfort, or reproof, or instruction, & so may give it the reverence & that awful respect which is due unto thy holy Oracle's: And because (O Lord) as I am naturally forgetful, so the devil watcheth to catch away the word as soon as it is delivered, therefore I pray thee to 'stablish my memory that I may hold fast thy blessed truth, and may always have it in store against the time of need. To this end, make me careful in the use of all good private means, such as are Prayer, meditation, conference with others as occasion shall require. Beget in me a godly discretion, that I may diligently search the Scriptures, whether the things I hear, are so, and may try all things; neither rashly rejecting, nor suddenly believing whatsoever is delivered. And when I have found thy truth, so establish my heart, that I may not waver nor be carried about with every wind of doctrine, but may continue in the things which I have learned, labouring daily to be led forward unto more perfection. And seeing, hearing and knowing without practice do but increase unto more condemnation, therefore (O Lord) do thou so water that which I hear, with thy heavenvly dew, that it may bring forth much fruit in my life, & that I maybe a credit to my profession, and no disgrace nor slander to thy truth: Grant all these things for thy dear Sons sake jesus Christ, to whom with thee & thy blessed Spirit, I desire to ascribe all honour and glory now and for ever. Amen.   

7. Another of the like nature, respecting the Sacrament of the lords Supper.  
I Am taught (O Lord) that without thee I can do nothing, and that all mine endeavours are in vain without thy blessing. In due regard whereof, I am become an humble suitor unto thy majesty, that thou wouldst be pleased to prosper and to direct my present purpose of communicating at thy table. It is thy will that I should often come unto this holy banquet, for the strengthening my faith, & for the preservation of the memory of Christ's death. O Lord, strike my heart with reverence unto it as unto thy ordinance, and as to a feast to which thou hast tied thy more especial presence, that I may not dare to press in before thee unprepared. Before I come, teach me to grow into a very strict examination of mine own Soul, that I may see how I have lived, & in what measure I am furnished for so weighty a service. And, because I know that the more I look into myself, the more I shall see mine own nakedness and deformity, therefore I pray thee to supply me from thy infinite fullness; Give me a through understanding of the misery of my estate, who am by nature a child of wrath as well as others. Make me to see the heinousness of those innumerable evils and gross sins which I have multiplied before thee from time to time; nay, which I have run into since my last presenting myself before thee at thy board, when I promised better obedience. O cause my stony heart to bleed within me, when I think upon mine own scantness in good duties and upon my delight and forwardness to transgress. Make me to be ashamed and even confounded in myself for those many enormities which from my corrupt and unreformed heart do continually break forth into my outward man, every member being a very weapon of unrighteousness to do service unto sathan. Thus (O Lord) shall thy mercies in Christ be sweet unto me, & I shall come with an hungering and thirsting soul unto thy table. And I pray thee to increase in me that gift of faith, that I may both come to this thine ordinance with a desire to enlarge it, and may also feel it to receive strength and growth of assurance of mine own personal and particular interest into the death of Christ. Remove far from me all swelling, disdainful and uncharitable affections: O Lord, this is a feast of love, and to it a malicious and a revengeful heart can be no welcome guest. And when I have presented myself at thy table, I beseech thee to restrain my idle and gadding thoughts, draw them to the earnest & serious meditation of that which is the life of the Sacrament, the death of my Saviour. Ravish my Soul with the admiration of his love, that should give himself to die for me a most vile, unworthy and sinful creature. Stir me up, even to vow and consecrate myself for ever unto him that hath vouchsafed himself to be a sacrifice for me. And after I have received these pledges of thy love, and seals of thy favour in thy dearest Son, O make me truly thankful to thy majesty, and careful both at the present, and ever after, to show forth the fruits of thankfulness in an holy and religious conversation, to thy glory, the good of others, and mine own eternal comfort in jesus Christ my Saviour. Amen.   

8. Presently after Receiving, before the Thanksgiving by the whole Congregation, a man may secretly lift up his soul on this fashion.  
AFfect my heart (O Lord) with this evidence of thy love, teach me in it to see the riches of thy grace, who art pleased for my weakness sake by such familiar means to figure out before me, and to seal up unto my soul, a treasure of that infinite worth, as is thy favour in jesus Christ. O that I may as sensibly feel his death to be sweet unto my Soul, as I do these creatures of bread and wine, to afford a pleasing taste and refreshing to my body. O Lord evermore give me such a feeling. And now (O heavenly Father) suffer me not to departed hence forgetful of thy kindness: but grant that I may now at this instant even covenant with mine own soul, to walk in a better course of holy obedience then heretofore, respecting all thy commandments, and endeavouring always to have a clear conscience before thee & before all men; that so glorifying thee in this life, I may be glorified with thee in thy kingdom through jesus Christ. Amen.   

9 A Prayer for the afflicted in what kind soever.  
O Gracious God, how happy am I, who have such a strong tower as thy great name to run unto, especially now in this sad & heavy day of tribulation? I see (O Lord) by continual experience, that the help of man is vain, and that all earthly contentments, notwithstanding the flattering show they make, yet are but as a staff of reed, upon which if a man lean, it will run into his hand and pierce it. If I turn me to my ancient lovers and friends, it may be they will stand aside from my plague, & mine old acquaintance will hide themselves, and I shall be even as a stranger in the sight of my familiars: If I seek to my neighbours. alas, what refreshing shall I find? Truth it is (O God) & thou hast so ordained, that he which is in misery should be comforted by his neighbour: but men have forsaken the fear of the Almighty; so that he, which is ready to fall, is as a despised lamp, and few are apt to weep with him that is in trouble: Besides, the greatest part are so overcome with gross ignorance, that they are miserable comforters & physicians of no value, not able to minister a word in time to him that is weary. Whither then, or to whom shall I go but unto thee (O most gracious & tender Father)? Thou art a pitiful God, thy compassions are great, thou art the Father of mercies, & the God of all comfort, thou makest the wound, and bindest it up, thou smitest, & thy hands do make whole, thou hast commanded to call upon thee in the day of trouble, and thou art a help ready to be found. To thee, therefore do I lift up my soul: Incline thine ear (O Lord) and hear, open thine eyes (O Lord) and see, look mercifully upon thine afflicted servant: the days of sorrow are come upon me, even changes & armies of miseries are against me. If my grief were weighed, it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; I am broken with one breaking upon another. Make me (I pray thee) to consider seriously, that it is even thou which hast done all this, that these things come not by chance, but by thy providence and certain appointment, that so I may be dumb and not open my mouth to murmur or repine. Open mine eyes that I may see mine own deservings, and what cause I have given thee even to crush me to pieces with thy heavy judgements, yea to cause the pit of thy eternal vengeance to shut her mouth upon me. What cause have I left unto me to complain, when I am less than thy smallest mercy, and my sins greater than the greatest sorrow thou hast laid upon me? It is thy love (O Lord) from whence this proceedeth. In this course, thou dost offer thyself unto me as to a son: thou knowest my corruptions, the rebellion of my heart, the crookedness & unreformednes of my nature, thou seest before some great evil that I am like to fall into, if I be left unto mine own course, thou findest me to be forgetful of my duty to thee, cold in Prayer, backward and lumpish in holy services, well-near lulled asleep in the common security of the times: It is thy wisdom to rouse me up, & to put thy hook of affliction into my nostrils, to bring me back into that good way from which I am falling. I know thou dost therefore chasten me, that I may not be condemned with the world. O teach me (I pray thee) to learn to judge myself, to search & to try my ways, to pry into my course bypassed, that I may find out those evils which bear in me the greatest sway, and may in some measure understand, what it is which thou aimest at in afflicting me.  
And enable me withal to reform mine errors, to recover my wandering, & to get a happy victory over my rebellious flesh: that I may be able to say hereafter, It is good for me that I was in trouble, blessed be the time that the Lord afflicted me; and how sweet is the quiet fruit of righteousness which springeth forth from the bitter root of tribulation? In the mean space (O Lord) until it shall please thee to put an end to my present grievances, teach me, not to make haste, or to seek by vile and unwarrantable courses to wind myself out of thy hands, but grant that I may tarry thy leisure with patience, not daring to prescribe unto thee what to do. And when this storm is over, and the sorrow past O keep me from security, make me to remember the vows and promises of obedience which I now make unto ●hee prepare me to a fresh trial, that my care may be to be provided for whatsoever thy pleasure shall be to lay upon me. Hear me in this, and in all other my suits, for his sake in whom thou art best pleased, even jesus Christ the righteous. Amen.   

13. A Prayer, in respect of some loss received, as of honour, or goods, etc.  
O Eternal God, the God of providence, the orderer and the disposer of all things both in heaven and in earth: Be ready (I beseech thee) to hear the Prayer of thy distressed servant. Help my weakness (I entreat thee) and quicken me to the performance of this duty of calling upon thy Name. I am even ashamed of myself, to see mine own faintness, & how soon I am cast down upon every occasion. O raise me up (I pray thee) and make me to lift my heart towards thee, according to whose good pleasure all things come to pass: Is it not thou (O Lord) which hast laid these things upon me? art not thou he who both givest & takest at thy will? art not thou the judge which makest low & which makest high? shall I murmur against thee, which hast such an absolute & uncontrollable soveraingty over all? shall I receive good at thy hand, and not evil? O keep down my repining & mutinous and discontented thoughts, alloy the height and haughtiness of my spirit, teach me how to be abased & to have want, make me to see the vanity of that which I was wont even to admire, and to set my heart upon. Let this abridgement be a school master unto me, that I may learn by it to draw mine affections from these fading and transitory commodities. O Lord, what is honour? Is it not a blast, or as smoke which quickly vanisheth? What is wealth? Is it not lighter than vanity itself? doth it not take her to her wings as an Eagle and fly into the heaven? O knit my heart henceforth unto thee: O blessed Father, fasten my affections on the things which are above where Christ sitteth at thy right hand: make me to lay up treasure in heaven, & to seek after that kingdom of thine, which cannot be shaken: frame my heart to the choice of the better part, of which I can never be deprived. Let me affect the true honour which stands in the faithful service of my saviour. Let me labour for that enduring and durable riches, which consists in the knowledge of thee, and in the feeling of thy gracious savour. Suffer me not (I pray thee) so to limit thy power, as to think that thou art not now able to supply me, sith the means which I was wont to enjoy is taken from me; but make me faithfully to consider, that thy hand is not shortened, but that thou hast enough in store for those that love thee. Thou art able to give me a great deal more, & after thou hast exercised me awhile, to bless my last days with more abundance than the first: thou canst make the little meal in the barrel not to waste, and the small quantity of oil not to diminish: thou canst cause a small thing to be better unto me then great riches to the mighty, and a dinner of green herbs to be more savoury to me, than a stalled Ox to them. O therefore I beseech thee, restrain my desires, make me willingly to submit myself to thy wisdom; Let thy providence & promise be my storehouse, and the stock that I rely unto: let this satisfy me, that though I lose all that I have, yet inasmuch as thou hast once loved me in Christ, I shall never lose thy favour. And let not the beholding of my children & family dishearten me, or make me to cast perils, and to say, Wherewith shall I feed them? How shall I cloth them? O Lord they are better than many sparrows, and dearer unto thee then the lilies of the field; thy promise of mercy is entailed to my posterity: O let my faith rest upon this foundation. Prepare me (I pray thee) to further trials, make me ready by degrees to lose even my life itself, if it may be for thy glory. And thus (O Lord) desiring to reckon even this cross (though my unreformed nature doth gainsay it) among thy chiefest favours, I commend myself and my poor Prayers unto thee in Christ jesus thy beloved Son, and my believed saviour. Amen.   

11. A Prayer, fitted to the loss of an especial friend, as a Father or Husband, etc.  
O Almighty Lord God, whose glory is above the heavens, and which hast thy dwelling on high, but yet abasest thyself to behold the things in the earth, be pleased, even for thy dearest Sons sake, to cast down thy compassionate eye upon my afflicted & grieved case. Comfort (Lord) comfort (I pray thee) thy servants soul, suffer me not to be swallowed up of discouragement. Thou hast taken from me the very staff of mine estate, one, upon whom (in the eye of flesh & blood) all my comfort did depend; He is now gone the way of all flesh, & hath made his bed in the dark: yet thou (O Lord) still livest, thou art always the same, & thy years shall not fail. O raise up (I beseech thee) my languishing & discouraged heart, my drooping thoughts: make me to look towards thee, from whom alone all comfort cometh. Hast thou done this, & shall I control it? Is death thy messenger, and shall I murmur at his coming? Is my dearest friend, whom I loved as mine own heart, gathered unto thee, his appointed months being now expired, & shall I lament his happiness? Dost thou still hold me with thy hand, & even compass me about with thy gracious providence, & shall I distrust? Is thy purpose and promise & power to be my God, the same yet that it was, & shall I be doubtful, as though I had made flesh mine arm, or as if thou (O all-sufficient God) wert tied unto outward means? Must not I also ere it be long make the grave my house, & lie down with others in the dust? Is there not an assured hope that all the live & die in the Lord jesus, shall be joined together after death, and at the last day be caught up in the clouds to meet the judge in the air, and after that to be ever with the Lord! I most earnestly beseech the therefore (O my most gracious God) to moderate my passionate and unrulely thoughts, to bring my violent affections into a holy compass: Let me not be sorrowful like those which have no hope, make me to rejoice on his behalf, whose pilgrimage is at end, and whose Christian and holy cause doth even assure me, that thou hast received him into everlasting habitations. Teach me to have a holy and prepared longing for the day of my dissolution: And grant me that grace and wisdom, so to love those whom both Nature and Religion bind me to respect, that I may always conform and submit my affections to thy most wise and sovereign disposings. To be without apprehension of such losses, I know by thy word, that it is impious; to be extreme & without measure in passion, is desperate: Keep me, I beseech thee, in the mean, that my sorrows may be tempered with comfort, & my heart may always be fixed surely upon thee: Afford me both this and all other needful favours in and for the merits of my alone Saviour jesus Christ. Amen.   

12. A Prayer applied to the state of a man inwardly perplexed with the horror of sin, with doubtings of God's favour, & with the temptations of sathan tending to despair.  
O Thou most pitiful God, & to those whom thou lovest in jesus Christ, most tender Father, never did there any poor chased Hart bray after the rivers of water, so as my distressed and amazed Soul panteth after thee. Oh that I had faith to lay hold upon that most sweet promise, by which thou callest all that are weary and laden to come unto thee. Feign I would (O Lord) approach into thy gracious presence, and happy seem I to myself, if I might taste though but (as it were) some crumbs of thy rich mercy. Me thinketh that all things which I see in the world and which the sons of men do dote upon so exceedingly, are but dung and dross in comparison of thy favour: Oh that I might be but one of the lowest of saints, or (as it were) a servitor or door keeper among thy holy ones. Thus I see thy mercy, I admire it, I prefer it in my choice before the greatest treasure: but when I would apply it to my own particular case, Oh what a world of discouragements do I meet with? My sins do take such hold upon me, that I am not able to look up: they are so many, yea more in number then the hairs of my head, that my heart doth even fail me to consider them. When I think how my Soul and Spirit is fraughted & defiled even with whole millions of profane, hardened, secure, vicious, worldly & unsanctified thoughts, how many offers of grace I have neglected, how thy forbearance hath been abused by me, how I have been a reproach and slander to thy Gospel, how dead and lumpish and falsehearted I have been in thy service, how barren in good works, and what little proceedings I have made, going rather backward then striving unto more perfection, how I have contented myself with shows of godliness: when (I say) I think upon these and other my gross and palpable enormities, I cannot but utterly condemn myself, neither can I believe that it is possible for so vile a wretch as I, to be admitted into thy favour. Sometimes I conceive some little hope, and I seem to myself to have some taste of thy favour, and some kind of assurance that I am dear unto thee in thy Son; but suddenly my comfort vanisheth, my hope is overclouded with perplexed doubtings, and I am well-near swallowed up with mere despair. Can any mortal man (think I) know the mind of God: or if some holy person may be so far graced, as to understand God's purpose touching himself; is it possible that so vile a creature as I, should come to such a high prerogative? Can the Spirit of the Lord, dwell in such a stinking and polluted soul as mine? will he vouchsafe to give me an assurance of God's favour? Or if I might know now that I am in the state of grace, what assurance can I have, that I shall so continue, being beset with many imperfections? Thus (O Lord) mine own thoughts oppress me, and mine own soul doth plead the case against itself: Neither is Satan, the ancient enemy of thine Elect, wanting, to add affliction to my misery.  
Heretofore his manner hath been, to incite and to provoke me unto sin, by hiding and covering the ugly and most loathesome face thereof, and to bear me in hand, that it was a very easy thing to repent, and that also thy favour (O Lord) might be procured by and by: Now he enlargeth my evils, & makes my sins to appear before my conscience in most terrible and hideous shapes; he telleth me, that my hypocrisy is apparent, that the guile of my heart is written in great letters and cannot be denied, that it is now in vain for me to sue for grace, there being no hope of mercy left for such offenders: that it is to no purpose for me to pray; for as I can not pray as I should, otherwise then in hypocrisy, so neither (if I could pray aright) can there be any access unto the throne of grace for the requests of such a trespasser. Notwithstanding (O most gracious God) even in despite of his suggestions and amidst all those discouragements which mine own heart mustereth against me. I do here adventure myself into thy most glorious presence; If I shall find favour in thine eyes, show me the light of thy countenance and I shall be safe: If thou say, I have no delight in thee, behold, here I am, do to me as seemeth good in thine own eyes. I know what thou hast spoken in thy word, namely: that if I draw near unto thee, thou wilt draw near unto me, and that thou wilt fulfil the desires, and accept the unexpresseable groans and sigh of thy servants: Truth it is (O Lord) I dare not say that I draw near unto thee as I should, or that my desires are such as they ought to be, or that I groan under my sins with such an effectual and piercing feeling as is fit.  
All that I am able to do, and that in much weakness, is to cry faintly unto thee, Oh draw me, and I will run after thee, make me to desire thy mercy in sincerity, bruise my heart, that it may yield out many undissembled sigh after thee. Yet (O Lord) though there be in me but such poor beginnings of grace, suffer me not (I beseech thee) to cast away my confidence. I am well assured that thou hast not forgotten the promise of not breaking the bruised reed, nor putting out the smoking flax, and of giving a blessing unto those which hunger after righteousness.  
Is it possible (O Lord) that thou shouldest leave off to be gracious, and shut up thy tender mercies in displeasure? Didst not thou send thy son into the world to die even for chief sinners? Is it not true, that when sin abounds, there thy grace aboundeth much more? Can I ever so much as truly desire reconciliation with th●e unless thou didst work it in me? Is not this request, Lord, help my unbelief, the very voice of thy spirit within me? Can I complain of the hardness of my heart, or sincerely loath mine own corruptions as being displeasing to thy majesty, if thine own finger had not effected it? Should I feel such a combat in my Soul, & such a tumult within me, if thou hadst not truly begun to draw me to thyself? Would sathan so continually molest me, and so eagerly pursue me with variety of most malicious and sharp assaults, if I were still held captive by him at his will? Raise me up therefore (O Lord) I pray thee, refresh my dejected and cast down soul, perfect the work of grace which thou hast begun within me, make me to hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Thou hast set me as a mark unto thyself, thou hast written bitter things against me, and made me to possess my former iniquities, thou hast hidden thy face from me, and taken me for thine enemy: comfort me now according to the days that thou hast afflicted me, let me behold thy face in righteousness, and restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. Rebuke sathan, I most humbly beseech thee: though thou please to buffet me with his messengers, yet let thy grace be sufficient for me, and make thine own power in reviving me, perfect and manifest by my weakness, which of it sell is ready to be pressed down with every tentation. Give me that holy wisdom, not to believe sathan, no, though he speak the truth; inasmuch as he is the father of lies, and never speaketh truth but for a wicked purpose. And (O Lord) as thou increasest my comfort, so withal increase my care, that I may not fall from perplexity to security, but that I may always keep my heart with all diligence, proving my faith, and searching my ways, and exercising myself unto godliness. Make me a careful and an understanding hearer of thy word, sith it is the word of life, a quickening word, a word which doth rejoice the heart; and because, except that be my delight, I shall utterly perish in mine afflictions.  
Make me circumspect to prevent sin, and fearful over myself, that sin may not grow strong upon me: and grant that I may study to preserve the peace of my conscience above all things, taking heed of wounding it with presumptuous sins. And (O Lord) establish me with thy free spirit, that albeit sathan seek to sift me & to winnow me as wheat, yet my faith may never fail, but may be as mount Zion which cannot be removed, but remaineth for evermore. Thus (O my gracious God) having, through thy mercy, peace in believing, and joy in thy holy spirit, I shall finish my course in comfort: which I pray thee grant me for his sake who is the Prince of peace, even jesus Christ, to whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen.   

13. A Prayer, then needful, when a man hath some special combat with some one or more special sins, against which he desireth victory.  
O Loving Father in jesus Christ, it hath pleased thee of thine abundant mercy to give leave to every humbled & distressed sinner, to pour out his Soul before thee, and thou hast bound thyself by a promise both to hear and to help all those which seek thee with an unfeigned heart; The confident assurance hereof hath given me courage (albeit most unworthy) to present myself here before thee, & to conceive hope that thou wilt not send me empty away. Wounded (O Lord) I am with mine own heinous sins, my untamed flesh doth always rebel & lust against my spirit: some good motions and purposes I sometimes have, but (alas) they are quickly quenched, & the law of my members so prevaileth, that I cannot do the good which I would. I have in me (I confess) the seed of every sin, & my nature is apt to be wrought unto any kind of evil. But (O God) there are some principal corruptions which do bear in me the greatest sway, & they do so even reign in my mortal body, that I am forced to obey them in the lusts thereof: The devil also is full of most malicious policy & he still worketh upon all advantages, & out of all things almost taketh occasion to add fuel to my wicked desires, & by pleasing & delightful baits to lead them on unto a hellish perfection. The more I strive, the stronger (me thinketh) these corruptions grow: which maketh me to fear the utter quenching of thy gracrs, & the grieving of thy holy spirit. Hereby my Prayers are interrupted, my meditations perplexed, and rob of their wont sweetness, my hearing and reading of thy word is made unprofitable: My faith is encountered with grievous doubtings, because I cannot feel that strength and power of thy spirit which I would. O Lord, if thy mercy be not my stay, I must needs be overcome: whom have I in Heaven but thee? whither shall I fly but to thy gracious assistance? I beseech thee, to have compassion on me, crucify and kill these unruly lusts, abate the strength of these violent and wicked desires: Weaken them, I pray thee, & suffer them not to have dominion over me. Let thy Spirit guide me, and lead me into the land of righteousness. Or if it be thy pleasure (O Lord) still to exercise me, yet leave me not destitute of thy grace, but increase it in me, that I may grow unto a larger measure of sanctification: Make me hereby the more fervent and frequent in Prayer, the more straight to prevent all occasions leading unto evil, the more jealous over my ways, the more humble and vile in mine own sight: that so even out of evil there may spring good unto me, & that I may see the fulfilling of that holy promise, that all things work together for the best unto thy servants. Hear me (I entreat thee) in this, and in all other my requests, for Christ jesus sake thy best beloved Son, and the only saviour of thy chosen. Amen.   

14. A Prayer of Humiliation and sorrow, after some special sin committed.  
O My God, I am ashamed and confounded to lift up mine eyes unto thee: mine iniquities are increased over my head, and my trespasses are grown up unto the heaven. I must needs wonder at thy great forbearance, that I am not even swallowed up or swept away with some extraordinary judgement. And now (O Lord) especially, having so grossly sinned against thee, and done so great an evil in thy sight; How have I (vile wretch that I am) wounded my own conscience? How have I laid myself open to the malice & mischief of the devil? What a disgrace & slander have I brought upon my profession? What an offence & scandal have I given unto others? What a joy will this be to the wicked, that they have now by me gotten something to speak evil of? But (above all O Lord) how have I dishonoured thee, whose favours have been so many & so continual towards me? I know not with what names & terms to set out my sin, sufficient to express the heinous & hideous nature thereof.  
When I think upon thy patience, upon the means of grace which thou hast afforded me, upon the light of knowledge which thou hast given me, upon the good motions, (as it were so many gracious advertisements) which thou hast from time to time, stirred up in me, upon the profession which I make, upon the sundry promises & vows of better obedience with which I have tied myself unto thy Majesty, upon the divers admonitions which (by thy providence I know) have been used to me by thy servants, purposely to prevent and to stop this evil in me, me thinketh I may call it rebellion (which is as the sin of witchcraft) or presumption in the highest degree. And yet (O Lord) I feel such a benumbedness to creep upon me, such a hardened crust to grow upon my secret parts, that albeit I see my sin, and know it to be exceeding great, nevertheless I cannot so bemoan it, so lament it, so grieve for it, so detest & abhor it, as I should. Smite (O gracious God) smite, I beseech thee my flinty heart, make it even to melt within me, at the sight of mine own transgressions; Settle in it the godly sorrow, which causeth repentance unto salvation: Humble my soul under thy mighty hand, and suffer me not to freeze in the dregs of mine own corruptions. Make mine head full of water, and mine eyes a fountain of tears which may run down, like a river, day and night: Oh let me take no rest, nor suffer the apple of mine eye to cease: cause me to power out my heart like water before thy face, that I may by all means testify the unfeigned grief of my soul that I have so displeased thee. And grant (O Lord) that I may not sorrow so much because of hell and condemnation which I have made to be due unto me, but that my chief vexation may be to think how I have abused thy mercy, and requited thy exceeding love with so foul a trespass. Withal (O most gracious Father) seeing there is mercy with thee, and that thou hast no desire that the wicked should die, give me leave to become a sufer unto thy grace, not in mine own name (for what am I that I should press into thy presence?) but in the name of thy dearest Son, the alone Mediator, and the only Peacemaker of his chosen. I most humbly beseech thee for his sake to have mercy on me: O Lord, a plaster of his blood shall be a most sovereign medicine, to cure my running and rotten and festered sore. His stripes & wounds are of an healing nature: no soap, nor nitre of mine own tempering can purge away my filthiness: only his blood hath that scouring force, that it can make scarlet and crimson sin as white as wool. Oh then, I pray thee, wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and according to the multitude of thy compassions, cleanse me from my sin. Turn thy face from me, and from my hateful and enormous course, and look upon the perfit and unspotted righteousness of thy son. Supply my emptienes out of his infinite fullness, the depth whereof cannot be fathomed, nor the store thereof consumed. Cover my uncleanness with the rove of his holiness, even with the garment of salvation, with which thou deckest and tirest thine elect. And albeit I am of all others which either have been, are, or shall be, the most unworthy: yet vouchsafe to certify my Soul of thy grace & favour, by the secret teaching of thy holy Spirit, make me to feel inwardly the joy of thy salvation, restore to me that sweet taste of thy love, which I was wont to have, & which I now have rob myself of, by this my disobedience towards thee. Let the apprehension of my sin be tempered with a comfortable application of thy mercy, that I may hold an even course betwixt fearless security and faithless despair; beholding at once, both my vileness to humble me, & the riches of thy grace to revive me. And, as an evidence of thy love in this behalf, strengthen me by thy grace to the making of the best use of mine own corruptions: Grant that the thought of them may kill in me all pride of heart, and may make me to abase myself and to become even vile in my own sight; Grant me to be hereupon the more watchful over my course, the more diligent to avoid all inducements & enticements unto these or the like evils, the more apt to be taught, the more willing to be admonished, the more forward to beg thy assistance, & the more charitably compassionate towards others, rather pitying and bemoaning and praying for, then censuring their infirmities. And (Lord) suffer me not, I beseech thee to satisfy myself with this, that I have once made some show of humiliation and sorrow for my falls: but grant, I may increase in the performance of these duties, and may every day renew & enlarge my repentance for particular slips, growing still into a deeper detestation of my sins, and desiring with more and more earnestness and striving, to be renewed in the Spirit of my mind: that so being cleansed from all filthiness both of the flesh and Spirit, I may grow up unto full holiness in thy fear, through jesus Christ. In whose name only I commend unto thee my requests, and for whose sake thou hast promised to deny nothing to thy servants. So be it. * ⁎ *   

11. A Prayer in respect of death, needful at all times but especially in sickness.  
O God, the God of the Spirits of all flesh, and which hast the keys of hell and of death; thou hast prepared them both, and thou rulest them both at thine own pleasure. I beseech thee be merciful to a poor trembling & weakhearted sinner, and vouchsafe to preserve me from the horror and extremity of dread, into which I am even now ready to fall. When I consider (O Lord) how that I dwell in a house of clay, my foundation being in the dust, & that I must erelong make my bed in the dark, saying to corruption, Thou art my Father, and to the worm, Thou art my Mother, & my Sister, O how my belly trembleth, & what a kind of rottenness cometh into my bones! my spirit seeming to fail me, & my heart within me being filled with dismayednes. Especially, when I think upon the judgement that cometh after it, & the straightness of that account which I am instantly to be called to, and upon those everlasting chains under darkness in which the wicked are reserved unto the last sessions, I am then so even overwhelmed with amazedness, that I seem to myself for the present, not to know where to find any true refreshing. I am told by thy blessed and not-deceiving word, that the sting of death is mine own sin, and with it I daily feel myself gored and galled and wounded so exceedingly, that (me thinketh) to me (poor wretch) there can be no hope of recovery, but death must needs be as a passage to lead me into the bottomless prison of hell. Raise up (O Lord I beseech thee) these my sad & unquiet thoughts, teach me how to overcome these discouraging and killing perplexities, the death may not be unto me as a king of fear: nor I, as one of the wicked, whose hope doth perish with their breath, & the candle of whose comfort is put out, when thou art pleased to take away their Soul Revive my memory, that I may call to mind, and comfortably ponder those things which thy sacred word hath taught me: namely, how the nature of death is clean altered to thy servants, the sting is plucked out, & itself is swallowed up in victory. To them the coming thereof shall be a time of discharge, they shall by it be freed from sicknesses of body, from anguishes of spirit, from all possibility of sinning against their God, from the tedious and discontenting society of the ungodly: their flesh shall rest in hope, their graves shall be unto them as beds of ease, being sweetened and seasoned by the burial of their Saviour: the Angels shall give attendance upon their Souls, to convey them into Abraham's Bosom, to the fellowship of believers, to the spirits of just and perfect men; so shall they be with Christ: which is best of all. This (O Lord) is the happiness which cometh by death unto thy chosen: Oh what are all the most torturing sicknesses, the bitter pangs and sorrows of the grave, unto such a glorious exchange? Who would fear corruption, for a never fading crown of righteousness? What is a momentany yielding of the body to consumption in the dust, in comparison of the everlasting preservation of the Soul, with assurance also, that in the time appointed these vile bodies shall by the mighty working of thy beloved Son, be fashioned like unto his own glorious body, and so both bodies and souls be for ever with him in his kingdom.  
Teach me (O Lord) effectually to apply these things to mine own comfort, that so this timorousness proceeding from the guilt of sin, may be turned into a cheerful expectation, and even a longing for the day of my dissolution.  
And, lest I should beguile my own Soul, in laying claim to that spiritual refreshing which belongs not to me, make me to labour for those assured evidences and undeceiving forerunners of a happy departure. I know (O Lord) that if I live here without conscience, I shall surely die without comfort.  
Holiness here, is the way and path to future happiness. I must seek to glorify thee, if I desire to be glorified with thee, I must fight the good fight against sathan, against the world, against mine own corruption, I must faithfully fulfil my course, and perform the service to which thou hast appointed me, I must know thy truth, and keep the faith in soundness and sincerity to the end: otherwise it will be in vain to expect a crown of righteousness. I must come to the first resurrection, or else I shall never escape the second death: Grant me therefore grace (I humbly pray thee) to serve thee in holiness and righteousness all my days, and to endeavour always to have a clear conscience towards thee, and towards men; Kill my corruption in me, that I may be even dead to sin, but alive to thee in jesus Christ. And because if I live after the flesh, taking thought for it to fulfil it, I shall die; therefore, I beseech thee, to mortify the deeds of the body by thy spirit, that so I may have my fruit in holiness, and my end eternal life. Teach me often to number my days, and to consider the uncertain certainty of my end, that I may die even every day, still looking and still preparing for my change, and making account that each day may be the day of my dissolution. Strengthen also my weak and faint faith, make me strong in thee and in the power of thy might, seal me with the holy spirit of promise, as with the earnest of my heavenly inheritance, that so no anguish of sickness may discourage me, no pang of death dismay me, no assault of sathan overcome me; but that, come death when it will, or in what manner it shall please thee, I may boldly (through Christ) commit my soul to thee as unto a faithful creator: Grant me this comfortable blessing for his sake, who died to free me from death, & from him that had the power of death, even for Christ jesus sake. Amen.   

16. A Prayer more specially fitted to the state and occasions of a sick person.  
O Most merciful and gracious God, thou, whose providence reacheth into the most withdrawn and solitary places, and which causest the beams of thy favour to shine even upon chief sinners, vouchsafe to cast thy compassionate eye upon thine afflicted creature, whom thou hast laid upon his bed of sickness. Just (O Lord) it is with thee thus to chasten me: nay, if thou shouldest crush my body into many pieces, and suddenly plunge me into hell, it were no more than my due desert. What a stained sinner am I by nature, stripped of all goodness, and easy to be wrought unto any, even the vilest evil? What a world of trespasses have been since committed by me, notwithstanding the greatness of thy patience, and the variety of good means which thou hast used both to inform and to guide me unto godliness? I will not therefore (O Lord) I dare not, I cannot plead against thee; It is my duty rather to magnify thy mercy, who art pleased so mildly & so fatherly to correct me; it being free to thy justice, to cut me off as an ear of Corn, and to give me over to the prince of darkness, & to leave me for ever to that woeful kingdom of eternal misery. Unworthy I am (I most willingly confess) because of my former slackness and coldness in this duty of calling upon thy Name, to have any small access into thy presence: Yet seeing thou art wont ever more to respect the truth of thine own promise, than the desert of those which pray unto thee, therefore I beseech thee, which art pleased to call thyself The hearer of Prayers; to hearken unto the hearty and unfeigned desire of my soul. Sanctify unto me (O Lord) this present sickness, let it be as thy school, in which I may truly learn to know myself more effectually than heretofore. Make me to consider seriously that all pain and grief is but the fruit of sin, and that as all sickness naturally makes way for death, so death (in itself) is the forerunner of eternal condemnation. Bless this thought and this meditation so unto me, that I may make it my first care (now in this visitation) to seek peace and assurance of reconcilement with thy Majesty. To this end give me a deep touch and a sensible understanding of my sins by past, take from me all guile of spirit, all disposition to flatter or to soothe up myself, or to lessen either the number or quality of mine iniquities; Cause me even to break and plough up my heart, to search and to try my ways, that so out of the abundance of my feeling, I may power out a most plentiful and sincere confession before thee. Let me remember it to be in vain to seek to hide that from thee, which thou (before whom all things are naked and open) dost know more fully and more directly than myself; and that the discovery and laying open of my sins, is the next way to find thy mercy in forgiving them.  
Add withal that strength unto my scant and smoking faith, that I may, amid the sight of mine own transgressions, lay hold upon the merit and fullness of my Saviour. Make me heartily to disclaim all hope of help by myself, or any other creature in Heaven or Earth whomsoever, and to cast all my burden upon him, who by himself hath purged sin, and whose death is an absolute and an all-sufficient sacrifice for the guilt of all believers. Oh that I may feel myself knit and united unto him: so shall I, in and by him, be presented blameless to thy Majesty. And because (O Lord) I am full of imperfections, and there is in my nature much weakness, and a great deal of frowardness and readiness to repine and rebel against thy ordinance, therefore furnish me with necessary graces, & with all such gifts as thou knowest to be fit for my present case: Endue me with patience, to bear whatsoever it shall be thy pleasure to lay upon me, and meekly to submit myself to thy most wise appointments: Assure me that thou which knowest whereof I am made, and that I am but dust, wilt not oppress me with more than thou shalt give me strength & power to endure. Let me not desire life, otherwise then for the further advancement of thy glory. Subdue in me all love & liking of this present world, grant that the hope of the glory which shallbe showed hereafter, may be so strong within me, that all things may seem vile unto me in comparison thereof. Make me comfortably capable of the advise and counsel of my Christian friends, which in their love shall go about to refresh my Soul. Make me able also to speak profitably and for good to those that belong unto me; Put upon me and in me charitable affections and thoughts, to, and concerning others, being ready to satisfy where I have failed, and to remit even where I have received the greatest wrong.  
Prepare me to my last conflict, and strengthen me against satans assaults, that in despite of his malice, yet I may still hold me fast by thee, and resolve, though thou slay me, yet to trust upon thee. And because (such is thy great goodness to us thy poor creatures) sickness doth not always exercise his full strength upon our bodies: therefore give me (I beseech thee) that wisdom to make use of every breathing, and of every little time of ease which thou dost afford me, that in it I may gather strength against the times of greater anguish. Bring still into my mind, those things which I have from time to time learned by thy word, that thereby I may be quickened and find comfort in my greatest need. And always (O Lord) as the time of departure shall approach, so let my soul draw nearer unto thee, my heart powerfully crying, when sickness shall take away the use of my tongue, Into thy hands I commend my Spirit: Come Lord jesus, come quickly. And when death hath parted my Soul from my body, let thy Angels (which do always by thy appointment pitch their tents about thy servants) convey it into that place of rest, which the blood of thy Son hath provided and purchased for thy chosen. To which thy Son with thyself and thy blessed Spirit be praise and thanksgiving now & evermore. Amen.   

17. A direction for those who desire to perform the Christian duty of prayer on the behalf of a sick friend or neighbour whom they come to visit.  
We are unworthy (O Lord) to speak unto thy Majesty either for ourselves or others: yet this duty lying upon us by command, & having a promise of hearing annexed thereunto, we are bold in jesus Christ to commend unto thee the weak estate of this thy servant. All sickness is from thee, & to thee belong the issues of death. Thou killest and thou makest alive thou bringest down to the grave & thou raisest up; to whom shall we go in this and other our necessities, but only unto thee? We could wish (O gracious God) the continuance of his Christian fellowship, the lengthening and enlarging of his days, but we willingly subject our wills to thy determining; Thou (Lord) knowest what is the best, & thereunto make us (we beseech thee) willingly and readily to subscribe, & to desire both his life & our own, only so far forth as may be for his and our further good in the more diligent & zealous advancement of thy glory. Frame him also (we pray thee) unto the like yielding, and so bless unto him this visitation, that by it he may be more and more humbled in the sight of his own sins & may increase withal in an unfeigned and longing desire after Christ: Enlighten his eyes, that he may know what is the hope of his calling, & what is the exceeding greatness of thy mercy and power towards all believers. Strengthen his faith, that he may with it (utterly renouncing himself) lay fast hold upon the merits of our only Saviour. Protect him against sathan, blunt the edge of his assaults, that they may never wound him to despair. Remove from him a dull spirit, and all secure and hardened thoughts, all worldly desires, all lingering after the deceiving sweetness of these earthly things. Give him patience to bear, & constancy to endure whatsoever it shallbe thy pleasure to inflict. Vouchsafe him comfort in conscience, joy in the spirit, peace in believing, together with a settled and well grounded expectation of eternal life and salvation by thy Son. Grant to us tender and feeling hearts, that both his sorrows and the griefs of other of thy servants may be apprehended, by us as if they were our own: Let thy word of grace be in our lips, that we may be able to speak holily, sound and cheerfully to the comfort of his soul. Teach us in him and in this house of mourning to see the end of us all, and to lay it to our hearts, that so we may labour to be prepared for our last departure. All these graces both for him and for ourselves, we beg in all humility at thy merciful hands, in the name and worthiness of thy beloved Son, calling further on thee, as he hath taught us in his word; Our Father, etc.   

18. A thanksgiving for a sick man, if God be pleased to send recovery.  
Suffer me not (O Lord) to be in the number of those, who are forward to ask in the time of need, but careless to show themselves thankful when mercy is bestowed. Make me as desirous to come unto thee with this sacrifice of praise, as I was ready to beg ease and refreshing in the day of my great necessity. Thou hast chastened me (O gracious God) and corrected me, but thou hast not given me over unto death. I looked to have been clean deprived of the residue of my years and thought I should have seen man no more among the inhabitants of the world: but it was thy pleasure to deliver my Soul from the pit of corruption. Oh what shall I render unto thee for this and all other thy benefits towards me! Oh how and by what means shall I show myself thankful to thy Majesty! I have nothing (O Lord) to render thee but the calves of my lips; accept my service (I beseech thee) in jesus Christ: and let not the memory of this thy kindness die within me, but grant that I may often recount thy mercy, working therewith upon mine own heart, and applying it as an effectual motive to obedience. Make me ever mindful of the vows & promises which I made in my sickness, to serve thee more faithfully than heretofore, that I may make conscience to perform them, knowing that thou delightest not in fools; & that by my neglect herein, I shall lay myself open unto a greater judgement. Teach me also to remember this, that albeit thou hast now given me some little respite, yet I must not deceive myself in putting far off the day of my death, but that I ought rather to use my health & strength to the better fitting and more effectual preparing myself thereunto. Together with the increase of bodily and outward strength, increase in me strength of care to walk with thee, and to approve myself unto thee in all holy conversation and godliness, being more zealous in Religion, more watchful over my ways, more earnest in Prayer, more fervent in Spirit, more careful to profit by thy Word, more faithful in my place and calling then heretofore, always looking for the blessed hope and appearing of jesus Christ my Saviour: to whom with thee & the holy Ghost, let my heart féelingly & effectually give all honour, praise, might, majesty and dominion both now and for ever, Amen.   

19 A Prayer for a woman in the time of her travail.  
O Lord, I now find by experience the truth & certainty of thy word, & the smart of that punishment which thou laidst upon me being in the loins of my Grandmother Eve, for my disobedience towards thee: Thou hast greatly increased the sorrows of our sex, & our bearing of children is full of pain. Teach me by this, to see the desert of sin, and to grow into the hatred of that which hath brought into the world such store of misery. Give me true repentance & pardon for my sins past, that they may not stand at this time & in this my need, betwixt me & thy mercy: Give me a comfortable feeling of thy love in Christ, which may sweeten all other pangs, though never so violent or extreme: Make me still to lift up my Soul unto thee in my greatest anguish, knowing that thou alone must give a blessing to the ordinary means for my safe delivery. Strengthen my weak body to the bearing of what sorrow soever, by which it shall seem good unto thee to take trial of me. Make me to remember, that howsoever it be with me, yet I am always in thy hand, whose mercies fail not, and which canst give issue to the greatest pain. And when thou hast safely given me the expected fruit of my womb, make me with a thankful heart to consecrate both it and the residue of my life to thy service, through jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.   

20. A Thanksgiving after delivery.  
BLessed be thy great Name, (O my most dear & loving Father) for thy large mercy to me most weak & sinful woman. Thou hast showed thy power in my frailty, and thy loving kindness hath prevailed against my unworthiness. Thou mightest, for my sins, have left me to perish in my great extremity: but thou hast compassed me about with joyful deliverance. marvelous (O Lord) are thy works, infinite are thy mercies, and my Soul by present experience knoweth it well. O my Soul, praise thou the Lord, and all that is within me praise his holy Name. My Soul, praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefits: he hath heard thy Prayers, he hath looked upon thy sorrow, he hath forgiven thine iniquities, he hath healed thine infirmities, he hath redeemed thy life from the grave, he hath even crowned thee with compassions. Oh give me (I beseech thee) a thankful heart, not only now, while the memory & sense of thy favour is fresh before me, but continually, even so long as I have my being Grant that I may learn by this evidence of thy mercy and might, for ever hereafter to depend upon thee: Quicken me up to all holy duties, that my thankfulness may appear in my pure and Christian carriage. Make me a kind and careful Mother, willing to undergo the pains and troubles of education: let no niceness or curiosity hinder me from those services to which both Nature & Religion have appointed me. Let me also be careful hereafter, when time shall require, to season that which thou hast given me, with the knowledge of thee, and of thy Son; that my desire may manifestly appear to be set for the increasing of thy kingdom. Vouchsafe so to order my affections, & to bring them into obedience under thee, that if it should be thy pleasure either now or hereafter to take this infant from me, I may patiently submit myself to thy appointment. And now (O good God) perfit in me that strength which thou hast begun, make me to grow in care to serve thee faithfully both in the duties of piety, & in other businesses of my place and calling; that I may be a comfort to my husband, an example to my neighbours, a grace to my profession, & a means of glory to thy Name, through jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour. Amen.   

21. A Prayer for those which are employed in the assistance & help of a travailing woman.  
IT is not our diligence (O Lord) or pains which can do any thing without thy blessing, & our sins are sufficient to bring thy curse upon whatsoever we undertake. Be pleased (we pray thee) to be reconciled to us in the blood of thy Son: Make us to remember that we are here in thy presence, & that all our thoughts, words & actions are open to thy sight: prosper the business for which we are come together: put far from us all superstitious conceits, & idle fancies, & teach us to seek help only from thy grace. Enable us to speak comfortably to this pained woman, that we may further her dependence upon thy holy Majesty, and may be a means under thee of her true refreshing in her sharpest fits. Furnish us with skill, and her with strength, patiently to await the appointed time of her deliverance: & knit all our hearts unto thee, that we may fear thy Name, noting & observing thy mercy and power in all thy works, & studying to give thee praise and glory for the same, through jesus Christ our only Lord & Saviour. Amen.   

22. A Thanksgiving after, when God hath blessed their pains in the woman's delivery.  
O Lord, we have seen thy goodness, and have received an apparent token of thy readiness to hear the Prayers of those which call upon thee, and to secure those which fly unto thee for thy help. Thou hast given ease and deliverance to the woman, light and life to the infant, joy and gladness to us all. The glory and praise is thine alone; Fill our hearts with thankfulness, & make us forward both now & hereafter to provoke and stir up one another thereunto. And And let not our thankfulness stand in words only or outward shows, but cause it to appear in our whole course; that the obedience, the sobriety, the modesty, the virtue of our lives may witness the thankful feeling of our hearts. Go on in thy mercy, (we pray thee) both to the Mother and her babe, continue & increase their strength, so as may serve best for thy glory. And as thou hast added one unto the number of mankind, showing thy wonderful wisdom & power both in the framing of him in the womb, & in bringing him forth into this light: so in thy time add him also to thy Church, and beget him again unto a lively hope, by the immortal seed of thy holy word, delivering him from the power of darkness, (in which by nature we are all) into the glorious liberty of thy chosen. And if it shall so seem good to thee, to lay any further trial either of sickness or death upon this thy servant, or upon the fruit of her womb, prepare us all to a patiented and quiet bearing of thy hand, and to a contented & comfortable resting upon thy gracious providence, assuring ourselves, that all things shall turn to the good and benefit of thy chosen. Hear us (O Lord) and accept us, and forgiving the weakness of our Prayers, grant us all needful graces out of the rich storehouse of thy bottomless bounty, and that for jesus Christ our gracious Redeemer. Amen.   

23. A Prayer for a Soldier, fight for his Country, or the confederates thereof.  
O Lord, it is thy glory to be called (The Lord of hosts) and it is thou alone, from whom, when men have made their most politic and puissant preparations, the victory must be looked for. Draw my heart, I beseech thee, from all relying upon my own valour, or upon the strength of the battle in which I stand; and teach me to look upward, and to wait and trust only upon thee. Thou givest conquest, and thou givest courage; thou deliverest from the peril of the sword, or else makest death a means of happiness to thy servants. Forgive my sins, I pray thee, and assure me of pardon by the witness of thy spirit, that the guilt thereof make not my heart to tremble in me, and to behold death as a messenger to convey me into hell. If thou (O Lord) be on my side, peace being made betwixt thee and my Soul through Christ, what can be against me, what hazard can befall my Soul! Nothing shall be able to deprive me of thy love. Let not spoil, or blood, or mine own advancement be the ends of mine attempts, but make me to aim only at thy glory in the defence of thy truth, and in the good and safety of the State wherein I live. The issue of all things to thee (O Lord) is known, but to man it is hidden, prepare me therefore indifferently to whatsoever shall befall me. If I die, give me comfort in my last breathing, and take my Soul into thy gracious hands: If I be taken captive, give me patience, give me wisdom and godly courage to do nothing contrary to the honour of my country, or prejudicial to the profession of a faithful Christian. If I return with life and victory, make me thankful; keep me from taking from thee any part of thy glory. Preserve me from those riotous, lascivious and blaspheming courses, which are the usual fruits of good success; Let me not think devotion to be an enemy to resolution, or that a religious fear of thy Majesty doth abate the spirit that should be in a Soldier: but settle me in this, that the assurance of a lawful cause, the hope and confidence of a better life by the merits of Christ, the care to please thee and to depend upon thy power, are the only true grounds of valour, which can give a man boldness and life in the day of battle. Vouchsafe me these and all other needful favours in and for Christ jesus sake. Amen.   

24. A Prayer for a man travailing by Sea, about his lawful business.  
O Heavenly Father, unto whose ears the Prayers of humbled sinners have freedom of access out of every place: let it please thee, to incline to me, who being provoked by mine own present need, and taking heart unto myself by thy liberal & large promises, do desire to power out my Soul before thy Majesty: Hear (O Lord) by reason of the calling and place, in which it hath been thy providence to rank me, I am come down to the sea in a Ship, and I do now see thy works, and continually behold thy wonders in this deep. How easy a thing is it unto thee, when thou raisest a storm, & liftest up the waves, not only to toss us to and fro, and to make us stagger like a drunken man, but utterly to swallow us up, and to turn upon our heads in a moment the bottom of these moving houses in which we are! It is thy great and exceeding mercy, that these swelling billows & foaming surges do not drink us in, and so make our bodies to become as a prey, either to that great Leviathan (the Whale) whom thou hast made to play here, or to some other of thy creatures, with ●…ire variety and troops whereof this vast body is replenished. But it is even thou (O mighty Lord) which layedst the foundations of the earth, & which didst shut up the Sea with doors: thou didst first gather these waters together as upon an heap, and storedst up the depths in thy treasures: though the waves are marvelous, though the floods lift up their voice: though the waters rage and be troubled, and the very mountains shake at the surges of the same, yet thou art much more mighty, thou soon appeasest the noise, and turnest the storm into a calm.  
Look graciously therefore upon me, I beseech thee, teach me to understand the greatness of thy terror, by that fearfulness of thy creatures which I do still behold: Cause me to rest my hope and comfort upon the power of thy mercy, let that be the anchor of my Soul both sure and steadfast. And lest my sins not being pardoned, should be a hindrance & stoppage to thy favour, I pray thee, settle in me an hearty & unfeigned detestation of them, a godly grief and sorrow for them, a steadfast resolution and purpose in the whole course of my life to strive against them. Open my heart, that I may often & earnestly sue and entreat for thy grace in thy son, and may never give over till I feel in my conscience some comfortable assurance that thou hast forgiven me. Fit & prepare me to thine own appointments; If it be thy pleasure that I should here end my days, I know well, that the soul which thou keepest cannot miscarry: To thee therefore I commend my spirit, forsake me not (I pray thee) in my last breathing. Albeit these waves may overwhelm my body, yet let them not be able to quench my comfort, or to plunge me down into despair. Grant me ever to lay fast hold upon my Saviour, that neither sea, death, nor hell may separate me from his grace. And if it shall seem good unto thee, to bring me safe unto that haven where I would be; Oh that I may never forget thy kindness, but may make conscience to perform that obedience which I am now ready to vow in my necessity. Make me always to take as great delight to serve thee, as I am now forward to ask, and desirous to receive life and safety from thee. Hear me (O Lord) in these and other my petitions, forgiving my unworthiness in the merits of jesus Christ thy blessed Son, and my great Redeemer. Amen.   

25. A Prayer applied to the state and condition of a malefator, condemned by law to die, and drawing near to the time of his execution.  
VOuchsafe, (O thou God of all mercy and compassion) to look with pity upon the most woeful case of a poor wretch, ready by the sword of justice to be cut off, as unworthy to live amongst men; & like also without thy speedy favour to be shut out of heaven, and to have my part in the second death; Truth it is (O Lord) that all this, though it be grievous, yet is no more than my desert: and touching that bodily death, whereto I am adjudged, I must confess it to be thy mercy and goodness toward me, that I have been found out by the eye of the Maigstrate, and stopped by the power of authority from going on into further evil. I beseech thee, that my death may be both a chastisement to me, and an advertizement to others, to contain themselves within the lists of civil obedience.  
But concerning my Soul, which is now ere long to appear before the Tribunal seat of thy great Majesty, I humbly pray thee, to be merciful thereunto. I cannot but acknowledge, that if thou give me my due recompense, I must needs be thrust into that dreadful place of infinite & eternal torment, which thou hast prepared for the wicked, the burning whereof is fire and much wood, and which thy breath like a river of brimstone doth kindle: neither see I in myself, or in any creature, any means or possibility to escape. Fearful unto me hath been the face of an earthly judge, & the sentence of death to be inflicted upon this my house of clay, hath made my heart to quake within me; What then will become of me, when I shall be arraigned before thee, at whose rebuking the very foundations of the earth are discovered, & before whom no man living can be justified? Thou (O Lord) knowest all mine iniquities, they are sealed up with thee, as in a hug, they are all noted in thy registers: Although I have many times sought for the covering of my evil ways to hide myself in the darkness of the night, supposing that no eye should see me, yet thou hast still compassed my paths, and been accustomed to all my ways, there hath not been a thought in my heart or a word in my tongue but thou hast wholly known it: Often have I said in my heart, God will not regard, he hath forgotten, he hideth away his face & will never see, I shall never be moved nor be in danger: Thy word I had no delight to hear, I hated knowledge, I would none of thy counsel, I sought to dam up the mouth of my conscience, that it might not check me; when my friends admonished me, I hated & scorned their reproof: Thus it was a pastime to me to do naughtily, wickedness was sweet in my mouth, I favoured it, and would not be persuaded to forsake it: justly therefore (O Lord) hast thou thus overtaken me, and made me to eat the fruit of my own way, bringing me to be a spectacle to the world, to die as one of the fools of the people; Yet (O gracious God) sith there is mercy with thee, and that thou art very ready to forgive, be favourable, I entreat thee, to me a most unworthy sinner. Manasse being put in fetters, and bound in chains, prayed unto thee, and humbled himself greatly before thee in his tribulation, & thou wast entreated of him: The woman of Canaan, whom thou tearmedst to be no better than a dog, yet thou didst afford her some crumbs of thy mercy, and didst cause it to be unto her as she desired. The thief, at his execution, confessed his sin, & prayed to be remembered in thy kingdom, & thou didst promise him an entrance into Paradise. O Lord, are not these things written for my learning, that I through the comfort of these examples might have hope? Hath thy Word spoken it in vain, that at what time soever a sinner sigheth unto thee, thou wilt put all his wickedness from before thee? Shall I think that thou wilt call me being laden with my sins, to come unto thee, and then when I come wilt not accept me? Make me (I pray thee) to see the depth of my sins, that I may not beguile my Soul, by lessening either the weight or number of mine iniquities: Work me to a true and undissembled acknowledgement and confession of them, even before others, that they which see my end and know mine evil, may have some evidence of my repentance, and may learn by me to beware of the deceitfulness of sin. Enable me to look with the eye of my faith upon my crucified Saviour, casting myself wholly upon him and desiring by him to be hidden from thy wrath. Give me some taste of thy love, and some inward and secret pledge of thy being reconciled to me for his sake. Strengthen me against the fear of death, that albeit I have every way just cause to tremble at it, it being both the desert of my offence to men, & the wages of my sin against thee; yet having some assurance in my Soul, that the sting thereof is plucked out, I may embrace it in my bosom, and entertain it as an end appointed for my misery, & as a means to bring me unto happiness. Thus (O Lord) with fullness of desire (out of the bottom of this misery and shame which I am fallen into) to fly unto thy mercy, and to be shrouded under the shadow of thy grace, I commend myself, my soul and my body into thy hands, praying thee not to cast off him, which hath no hope but only in thee, and that alone in and by jesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour. Amen.   

26. A Prayer rising out of the serious meditation of the last judgement.  
O Lord, thou hast revealed it in thy holy Word, that the fashion and figure of this world must pass away, & that as by appointment we must all die, so also we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, and that from thence some shall go into everlasting pain, and some into life eternal. This, the Atheists and Epicures and Libertines of the world do think to be but a mere fable, they say in their hearts; The Lord will do neither good nor evil. But yet (O Lord) as thou hast delivered this in thy Word, (of which one jot nor tittle shall not perish) so thou hast not left it without a sufficient proof in the very bosom of every man: The accusing or excusing of our own thoughts, the secret checks accompanying those evils to which none is privy, the fears of wicked men, who are continually as one that travaileth of child, flying oft times when none pursueth them, and being chased at the very shaking of a leaf, are an evident proof of thy providence, and a certain assurance written as with a point of a Diamond (which can never be done out) that verily there is fruit for the righteous, and doubtless there is a God that judgeth the earth. This truth (O Lord my God) thou hast taught me to believe, and I make no doubt, but it shall shortly come to pass. It was said long since that the judge did stand before the door, and that he which should come, would come & would not tarry; and now, the height of iniquity is such, and sin is grown to that perfection, that it cannot stand with thy justice much longer to forbear. Teach me (I pray thee) as I do know & believe this, so to make a true & profitable use of my knowledge. Let it be ever in my thoughts, and in my best and most serious meditations: when I am about by the proveness of my corrupted nature to do evil, let the remembrance hereof be a bridle to me to restrain me: when I am like by the iniquity of the times to suffer evil among men, let the expectation of the right which thou wilt then do to the oppressed, be a comfort to me to refresh me. Especially (O Lord) grant me to keep daily (as it were) a privy sessions in the closet of mine own heart, arraigning myself before thy judgement seat, searching and trying my ways, accusing myself before thee, from whom nothing can be hid, confessing my unworthiness, bewailing my corruptions, suing with all instant earnestness for thy grace & favour in thy Son. O that I may learn thus to judge myself, that I may not be judged of thee in that day.  
Suffer me not to flatter my self or to bless my Soul in any evil way, or to go about to find hidings and coverts for my sins; inasmuch as all things are naked in thy sight, and that in that great terrible day thou wilt lighten the things which are hid in darkness, and make manifest the counsel of all men's hearts. Let me not imagine this thy great session to be like the courses among men, in which oft times by unjust means the vilest offenders do procure escapes: but make me to know, as the truth is, that with thee there is no hope by corruption, or favour, or fraud, or importunity of suit, to find evasions. Thou art the judge of all the world, and thou wilt do right; every man shall receive the things which have been done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or evil. And whereas (O Lord) it is a great grief to thy servants, to live among the ungodly, it must needs vex their righteous souls to hear and see their unlawful deeds, let this be my comfort, that though it be thy pleasure to suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath, & to permit the tars to grow up with the Wheat until the harvest, yet than thy Angels shall come, and shall gather out of thy Church all things that offend, and bring the just into the kingdom of their father. Seeing also (O gracious God) that whosoever in this world will live godly, shall suffer, and lie open to the wrongs and injuries and reproaches of the wicked; Grant that if at any time, either my name be put out as evil, or otherwise my estate or profession, or life, for thy truths sake be called into question, I may possess my Soul with patience, looking for the blessed hope and appearing of thy glory, knowing that then the just, what disgraces soever are now cast upon them, shall shine as the light in thy presence. Finally (O Lord) make make me daily to grow so weary of this vain & wretched world, and of the heavy load of mine own corruptions, and of this body of death which is upon me, & to strive to gather that assurance of an interest in that glory which shall be showed hereafter, that I may look for this great day and in my desires may sigh for it and hasten to it; and that whensoever it cometh, I being found waking with my lamp of oil in my hand, may have cause to lift up my head, not doubting but to have a gracious admittance into my master's joy.  
Grant me this for his sake, which sitteth at thy right hand, to make request for me, jesus Christ the Mediator of thy chosen. Amen.   

27. A Prayer fitted to the time of war.  
O Almighty God, who art high above all nations, and whose glory is above the heavens, the comfortable success of all enterprises is from thee only to be looked for; Thou art he which givest victory unto kings, to thee it is all one to save by many or by few, thou canst make one to chase a thousand, thou canst cause the hearts even of the most valiant to melt, their hands to be weak, their minds to faint, and their knees to fall away like water. If thou fight for us, we cannot miscarry: if thou favour us not, we must needs be discomfited. O be gracious unto us, and be on our side, now that men are risen up against us. They take crafty counsel against thy Church, and consult how to cut us off from being a nation, and by what means to quench the light of thy truth, which shineth in our streets. Their desire is to imbrue their hands in our blood, and to advance their own ambition by our overthrow. O turn their counsels into foolishness, let not their mischievous imaginations prosper, lest they be too proud: O our God, make them like unto a whéel, & as the stubble before the wind, scatter the people that delight in war. Go out (O Lord) with our armies, give wisdom and courage to our captains, gird them with strength unto the battle, be with our Soldiers, teaching their hands to war, & their fingers to fight: Assist all the consultations, prosper the policies, crown those enterprises with good success which are undertaken for the common good & comfort of the State. Doubtless (O Lord) we have deserved thine anger, & our sins do cry loud in thine ears for vengeance: and it were but just with thee, if thou shouldest make us a prey and spoil unto our enemies; But (O gracious God) let us fall now into thy hands, (for thy mercies are great) & let us not fall into the hands of men, whose displeasure at us is not for our sins, but for our profession and religions sake, and that they may fill their own enlarged & unsatiable desires with those blessings of wealth which thou hast given us: Put therefore thy hook into their nostrils, & bring them back by the same way they came. Let it appear that thou art in the mids of us, & that we shall not be moved, that thou wilt help us and that very early: Let there be none invasion, nor going out, nor no crying in our streets; But set thou peace in our borders, make strong the bars of our gates, especially let the Gospel of thy Son sound yet louder amongst us, that by it many Souls may be gathered unto thee. So we thy people & the sheep of thy pasture shall praise thee for ever, and from generation to generation we will set forth thy glory, through jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour. Amen.   

28. Another of like nature, respecting the time of Dearth and Famine.  
cleanness of teeth (O Lord) and scarcenesss of bread, have been anciently threatened by thee, as judgements upon the sons of men for their sins. Many ways also thou hast to turn a fruitful land into barrenness for the wickedness of the Inhabitants: Thou canst make the Heaven over our head as brass, & the earth under us as iron, by bringing a drought upon the land. Or else thou canst cause the seed to rot under the clods, by commanding the bottles of heaven to power out rain in too great abundance: or when the Corn is come up, thou art able to smite it with blasting & mildeaw, or to send among us thy great host, the grasshopper, the canker, the caterpillar and the palmer worm, so that although much be sown, yet little shall be brought into the barn. Or if the Corn do grow ripe unto the harvest, it is in thy power suddenly to send in an enemy, to eat the fruit of the land, and to devour the labour of the people. And though the bread do come to be set in plenty before us, yet thy hand is not shortened, thou canst take away the staff thereof, so that we shall eat & not be satisfied. Thus (O Lord) thou hast even storehouses of punishments, so that our hearts can not endure, nor our hands be strong in the day that thou shalt have to do with us. And hereof we have now already some experience; For now thou hast in part begun to punish our abuse of thy creatures, our fullness of bread, our contempt of the spiritual food of our souls, with outward scarcity: The time is come, by greedy worldlings long expected, in which they may make the measure small and the prices great, selling even the very refuse of the Wheat; Their treading is upon the poor, their desire is to swallow up the needy of the land. Look mercifully (O Lord) upon us, we beseech thee: lift up thine hand, forget not the poor. Thou preparest for the raven his meat when his birds cry to thee, wandering for lack of food, thou takest no delight in the confusion of thy creatures: thou hast promised, that if we seek to thee, we shall want nothing that is good, thou wilt preserve us in the time of dearth, and in the days of famine we shall have enough. Accomplish (we beseech thee) these thy gracious promises; Save us from this increasing misery, and deliver us from their cruelty, which being without all bowels of mercy, do respect nothing but their own commodity. And because (O Lord) our sins do separate betwixt thee and us, and do hinder good things from us: therefore humble our souls under thy mighty hand, make us to see and to consider our own deservings, draw from us an hearty and sincere acknowledgement, how great cause we have given thee to affamish both our bodies and souls for ever. Give us an understanding of our particular gross sins which do lay us open to this judgement above others: namely our wantonness, our pride, our luxuriousness, our riot, our feastings without fear, our want of mercy to the poor, our spurning with the heel against thee, our forgetting thee in the days of our plenty, but chief our loathing of that spiritual Mannah, that heavenly diet of thy sacred Word, provided in thy abundant mercy for our Souls.  
O make us ashamed for these and other our monstrous sins, besides those personal evils wherewith we are each of us justly to be charged. Beget in us a care to renounce and forsake our sins, equal to our desire for the putting away of thy judgements. Forgive us in jesus Christ, and vouchsafe us (as a pledge of thy love) strength and grace to walk in a greater measure of obedience then heretofore. And now (O Lord) teach us to rely upon thy providing, and to know that when all things fail, yet thy mercies are the same, and thy power to help is not diminished. Thou canst suddenly by means to man unknown, turn the greatest penury into plenty, thou canst make a little to stretch far, and canst proportion our appetites to our store.  
O make us to depend on thee, and to study more how to profit by thy hand, then to have thy rod removed from us. And when thou shalt show thyself to have heard our Prayers, by sending greater plenty, let us not forget our present want, but grant that we may labour to be thankful, and endeavour after a more sober use of thy blessings then heretofore. Hear us in this, and in all other our requests, for Christ's sake, and for thine own promise sake. Amen. * ⁎ *   

29. Another like, applied to the time of some great contagion.  
WHither shall we go (O Lord) in the day of our affliction, but only unto thee! Thou alone canst save, and out of thy hands none is able to give deliverance. Heavy at this time is thy hand upon us, and fearful is the disease with which thou hast afflicted us: We are afraid one friend and neighbour of another, and nothing is before us but present death: Scarcely can we look forth, but we see some one or other amongst us carried away to the grave, & the mourners going about the streets.  
We must needs confess that though this he grievous, yet it is the smallest part of our desert; It is just with thee, to smite us with botches and scabs that cannot be healed, and to make the pestilence even to cleave unto our loins and to swéep us away from off the earth, even as a man swéepeth away doung till all be gone. For, how have we multiplied our iniquities before thee, and to what a shameless and intolerable measure are our sins increased? Many warnings have been given by thy Ministers, thou hast risen early and late, and sent unto us by them; yet we have made our hearts as an Adamant stone, and have put far from us the evil day, persuading ourselves that their sermons were but wind, and that they did but commend unto us their own fancies; Thus have we encouraged ourselves in evil, and have set thy judgements at nought, every one turning to his own course, as the horse rusheth to the battle, adding drunkenness to thirst, and falling away from thee more and more. But (O Lord) give us now at the last remorseful and repentant hearts, make us (as it were) to smite upon our thigh as a sign that we see our wanderings, and that we are ashamed of our sins: Embolden us in the name of Christ to come into thy presence, and in all earnestness of spirit to cry unto thee, Take away our iniquities and receive us graciously. Teach us as well to fear sin, the cause of this wasting sickness, as we do the sickness itself, which is the fruit of sin. Comfort us, according to the days that thou hast afflicted us, and let the sweet feeling of the gracious testimony of thy Spirit, speaking peace unto our souls, prevail against all other sadness, or cause of grief, or sorrow whatsoever. Say (O Lord) unto thy destroying Angel, It is sufficient; hold thy hand: Or if it be thy pleasure to stretch thine hand yet further, and to take us away also, O prepare us to thine own purpose, endue us with a holy patience to endure the utmost trial: and grant that whatsoever befall our earthly tabernacles, yet our souls may be always acceptable unto thee, and all for Christ jesus sake, who hath loved us, & given himself to be a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour unto thee. Amen.   

30. A Meditation or Prayer necessary for a poor man.  
Truth it is (O Lord) that to my mutinous & repining nature, want is of all things most distasteful, and poverty is a burden even intolerable. Sometimes I am ready to call thy justice in question, who measurest out so large & overflowing a portion unto some, and yet art so straight and sparing towards me. Sometimes & do almost condemn Religion to be merely vanity, the lovers whereof lie open to so great extremity; Otherwhiles, my own heart chargeth me with hypocrisy, telling me that no man ever perished being an innocent, and that if I did so fear thee as I should, thou couldst not thus forsake me. And much ado have I to master my own affections, and to restrain myself from putting forth my hand to wickedness, and from taking some strange course for my own supply. Thus (O Lord) I am straightened, thus I am even haunted with whole troops of unquiet thoughts: all which, by the continuance and enlargement of my own scarcity, and by the uncompassionatenesse which I find among the men of this iron age, are rather multiplied and increased in me, than any way slaked or diminished. But eternally blessed be thy great Name, which hast opened the gates of thy mercy, & given hope of hearing and of help, to the basest and poorest amongst men. Thou acceptest not the persons, no not of Princes, thou regardest not the rich sooner than the poor. Behold therefore (O loving Father in jesus Christ) to thee do I cry, to thy mercy-seat do I stretch out my feeble hands. I have learned (O Lord) that misery cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth affliction spring out of the earth; the pillars of the world are thine, thou openest or shutest thy hand at thine own pleasure. Thy wisdom also is infinite, and thy judgements are unsearchable: who shall plead with thee, to ask thee a reason of thy ways? Let it be enough for me, that it is thy pleasure thus to debase me; Am I not in thy hand as the clay in the potters? If thou do give me a larger portion, it is thy bounty: if thou do abridge me, what have I to complain, or what challenge can I make to that, which thou keepest from me? Teach me (I beseech thee) not to look so much upon this, what others have, as to consider well, how little I for my part do deserve to have. If I do but breath upon the face of the earth, if I had no house but the open air, no garments but rags, no food, but the bread and the water of affliction, or the crumbs that fall from some rich man's table, it were infinitely more than than my best desert. A sinful and unthankful wretch, as I have always been, what can I say is due unto me but perpetual shame? When I judge rightly of all things, so far am I from being able to say that thou hast wronged me, or dealt too straightly with me, that I must rather stir up myself to magnify thy mercy which hast not laid upon me the utmost of thy wrath, but hast given me a time and an opportunity to repent. Let these things (I pray thee) the sovereignty of thy power, the depth of thy wisdom, the foulness of mine own desert, the kindness which (notwithstanding some outward hardshippe) thou hast vouchsafed to my soul, moderate my violent affections, curb my raging and discontented thoughts, bring my ranging passions into order, that I may always say, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good; This is my sorrow and I will bear it. Open my eyes withal, that I may see thy power, who canst raise the needy from the dust, and lift the poor out of the dung, and make him families like a flock of sheep, who canst command even the very ravens to bring bread and flesh unto thy servants, the Heavens to drop down food, & the rock of stone to yield streams of waters, to refresh those whom thou art pleased to provide for. Shall I think thy power to be abated, or is thy mercy less than it was wont to be? Hast thou not made a promise never to forsake me? Am I not always with thee, and dost thou not hold me by my right hand? Shall I imagine thee to be like the bird whom thou hast deprived of wisdom, & to whom thou hast given no part of understanding, who showeth himself cruel unto his young ones, as they were not his, or as if he had travailed in vain? No, I am assured that though a woman should forget her child, & forbear to have compassion on the son of her womb, yet thou canst not forget those whom thou lovest in thy son. Thou knowest my wants, thou art able to supply my wants, thy love will not suffer thee to leave me destitute in that which thy wisdom knows to be convenient for me. Increase my faith, that I may depend yet more upon thee, make me diligent in the place & calling in which thou hast set me, frame my mind and my desires to that rate which thou hast allotted me, keep me from unjust and unlawful courses, from envying the abundance which others do enjoy: possess me with this persuasion, that this my present state is the fittest for me, and that when it shall be good for me to have more, thy hand shall instantly be enlarged toward me: Stir me up to seek thy kingdom, and labour for the meat which endureth unto life eternal. every my soul with spiritual blessings in heavenly things: persuade my conscience of thy love in Christ jesus, that the feeling thereof may make all things sweet unto me. Cause me both to trust and to wait for thy salvation, and in all things to strive to give thee thy deserved glory, and all this in and for thy sons sake my only Mediator and Redeemer. Amen. * ⁎ *   

31. Another of like nature, fit for one whom God hath enriched with outward things.  
IT hath pleased thee (O Lord) out of the freedom of thy bounty, to deal more largely with me then with many of thy servants, and to furnish me with store of those outward blessings, which others (every way as good by nature as myself) do not enjoy. My heart is fraughted with much corruption: and though riches be in themselves a blessing, yet without thy especial grace, they will be unto me an occasion of many evils. Apt I shall be to lift up my heart, to pride myself in my own conceit, to trust unto my wealth, to despise others, to grow in love with this present world, to become cold and remiss in the best services, to conclude that I am highly in thy favour, because thou hast enriched me. These be the diseases, which through the poison of our nature, do rise by these outward have, neither can I say that my heart is clean from these corruptions. Purge them out of me (I beseech thee) by the fiery power of thy spirit: Give me poverty of spirit and humbleness of mind, amid this outward fullness with which thou hast endued me. Make me to remember that the more I have, the greater shall be mine account, and the harder for me to be saved: that by that means, my wealth may be so far from puffing me up with secure presumption, that it may move me the rather even with fear and trembling to work out my salvation. Cause me to think often upon the words of my Saviour, that riches are deceitful, and of a thorny nature, choking the good seed of the word and making it to become unfruitful: that so I may learn carefully to handle them and to use them with great héedinesse and circumspection, lest I should by them gall & wound my conscience, or be pierced through with many sorrows. It is said (O Lord) that these high places of the world are slippery places, in which it is hard to go with a right foot, & to keep straight and even steps; Oh, stir me up to so much the more care to ponder my paths and to take diligent heed unto my ways; suffer me not to justify myself to mine own soul, or to make myself believe that I am as I ought to be, because waters of a full cup are wrung unto me: but teach me seriously to consider, that as many of thy beloved servants do feel the smart of poverty, so even the most wicked and those which do rebelliously transgress, have a large portion in this life, living, waxing old and growing in wealth, their goods oftentimes exceeding the very desires of their hearts. Grant therefore that I may labour for some better & more certain assurance of thy grace, not grounding my hope upon my wealth: but rejoicing in this, if the due consideration of the danger and vanity of abundance may work by thy blessing, to the abasing and humbling of my heart. Oh let not mine eyes be dazzled, nor my heart bewitched, with the glory and sweetness of these worldly treasures, which may be taken from me, or I from them even in the twinkling of an eye: draw my affections to the love of that durable riches, and to that fruit of heavenly wisdom, which is better than gold, and the revenues whereof do surpass the silver, that my chief care may be to have a soul enriched and furnished with thy grace, fulfilled with the knowledge of thy will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. And because (O Lord) in having much, I am but a steward under thee, and a disposer of thy gifts, enlarge my bowels towards others, make me rich & fruitful in good works, being a father to the poor, and causing the heart of the widow to rejoice, warming the loins of the naked with the fleece of my sheep, not eating my morsels alone, but dealing my bread to the hungry, and never hiding myself from mine own flesh. For why should I make gold my hope? or wherefore should I strive to lad myself with this thick clay, still plotting to set my nest on high, when all that I have or can have is in a moment turned into vanity? Quicken me up therefore to good duties, that the hearts of thy Saints may be comforted by me, and that in the place where I live, I may by my forwardness draw on and provoke others to all the offices of necessary benevolence. Let the bowels of the needy be my treasury, and let it be my desire & care there to lay up in store a good foundation for myself against the time to come, not trusting to be crowned for the worth of my liberality (for what can that be to a Weight of glory?) but assuring myself the the mercy showed by me unto others, is a beam of the love which shines from thee upon my soul. Thus (O Lord) shall I by thy goodness have the true use of thy blessings, together with a daily increase of much matter of thanksgiving for thy great goodness to me so vile and unworthy; and all for Christ, and in his most glorious and holy name: to whom with thee and thy spirit, one true everlasting and only wise God, be all praise, and power, might, majesty and dominion now and evermore, Amen.   

32. A Prayer for the whole State.  
extraordinary (O Lord) have thy favours been unto this Kingdom; when we recount our long continued peace, our victories, our plenty, our comfort by religious and prudent governors: especially, the glorious light of thy Gospel which hath shined amongst us, our freedom from the miserable bondage of Romish and Antichristian tyranny: we must needs say, that thou hast not dealt so with every Nation. Indeed the cry of our sins is great, the very heavens may blush to look upon us, and the earth is weary to bear our gross, our shameless, our presumptuous evils: Thou thyself (O patiented God, art pressed under us, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves: Long hast thou waited for our repentance, and often hast thou urged us by the Ministers of thy word, to break off our sins, and even besought us by them to be reconciled unto thee. But we have hated to be reform, we have cast thy word behind us, thou hast stretched out thy hand, and we would not regard; we have despised and mocked thy messengers, our hearts within us have been fully set to do evil. Mercy hath been offered, we have not esteemed it: judgement hath been threatened, we have not feared it: the very trial of our countenances testifieth against us, we declare our sins as Sodom, we hide them not; all manner of foul enormities do march openly and confidently and without fear in our streets. How justly mightest thou power out even the vials of thy wrath upon us, making us to be a detestation, and a curse, and an astonishment, and a reproach to other Nations, forcing us to wring out and to drink the very dregs of that mixed wine of thy fierce & terrible indignation. If thou shouldest bring an utter dissolution and desolation upon our State, making our enemies to ride over over our heads, to climb above us up on high, and us to come down beneath below: If thou shouldest take away from us the judge and the Prophet, the honourable and the Counsellor, and appoint children to be our Princes: If thou shouldest make heaps of our Cities, and leave our Towns without inhabitants; If thou shouldst at once quench the light of thy blessed word, and give us over to the service of dumb idols, and our souls to be swallowed up in the darkness of popish ignorance and superstition; if thou shouldest make us by thy judgements a proverb and a spectacle to the whole world, it were no other than we have deserved; nay, it is thy great mercy, that these things, and more heavy than these, have not already overtaken us. But (O Lord) be merciful to our sins for thy name's sake: O thou which art the God of grace, look graciously upon us in the Mediator of grace, Christ jesus. We have nothing to plead, but his merit, nothing can wash away the foulness of our sins, but his most precious blood; Make (we pray thee) our hearts to mourn within us, both for our own personal sins, and for all the abominations which are done in the midst of the Land: Oh that we might turn unto thee with all our heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with sorrowing; Oh that we could see the things that belong unto our peace: and might every man turn from his evil way, and from the wickedness that is in his hand, and make his ways & his works good. Let it be thy holy pleasure (we humbly beseech thee) to continue and to enlarge thy wont favours towards us; Establish this our peaceable government by a perpetual and unchangeable decree. Compasse-in this Island, with thy favour, as with a shield; Let never thine and our adversaries, roar in the midst of thy congregation, or set up their banners as signs of victory and conquest over us. Above all (O Lord) vouchsafe the comfort of thy Gospel, and the liberty of thy blessed truth: Grant that that may still be faithfully & sound preached in our Churches. Oh remove not our candlestick, though our falling from our first love, & the universal slaking of our zeal, hath deserved it. Lengthen out the use of it (we entreat thee) even so long as the Sun and Moon endureth, that by it those that are yet unborn, and shall come out of our Loins, may be guided and directed in the way of peace. And to this end, we are most humble and instant suitors to thy Majesty, even to thee by whom King's reign, and whose dominion and sovereignty reacheth over all; that thou wouldst multiply thy blessings upon thy King, even thine anointed (King james) whose head thou hast lifted up above others, and into whose hands thou hast committed the rains of these united Kingdoms. O Lord, when we remember the days bypassed, even the days of our fear, how that after the death of our late renowned Queen, we looked for nothing but confusion, supposing that the times of our peace must needs have died with her, and have even been buried in her grave, and consider withal, how thou then, without any so much as drawing of a sword, or colour of commotion, placedst in her throne a King of the same royal blood, and of the same love and affection to thy holy truth, under whose shadow, we enjoy all the accustomed comforts of our ancient peace, we are like to them that dream, we are even strooken with astonishment; so far have all things gone beyond our hopes, & exceeded our expectations. O pardon our great ungratefulness, that pass over thy mercies so superficially, and do so seldom and so slightly meditate upon thy kindness. Let not our unthankfulness turn away thy intended blessings from us; establish his throne (we beseech thee) let his soul be bound in the bundle of life with thee, & cast out the soul of his enemies, as out of the middle of a sling. As thou hast prevented him with liberal blessings, and set a crown of pure gold upon his head: so let his glory be great in thy salvation, and make him glad with the joy of thy countenance. Go on to give him thy judgements, that the righteous may flourish in his days, and that he may judge the poor of the people, and save the children of the needy, & subdue the oppressor: Let him not want a man of his own line, to sit upon his seat: but continue the kingdom in his posterity, until the time in which all earthly kingdoms must be determined. And as thou hast made his Queen, like a fruitful vine on the sides of his house, & a joyful mother of many royal plants: so we pray thee lay upon her much dignity and honour; & bless than both out of Zion, so that they may see the wealth of jerusalem all their days. Let their children be as chosen shafts in thy quiver, make them as the plants growing up in their youth, and as the corner stones graven after the similitude of a palace. Chiefly we beseech thee to pour out a large measure of thy blessings upon the young Prince Henry: every him with all princely virtues; water him so with thy heavenly dew, that knowledge of thy truth, zeal for thy glory, love to thy Church, perfit hatred of Popish Idolatry, may in him grow up with his years, that so he may also in his appointed time become another Instrument under thee, for the further enlargement of thy Gospel, and the prosperity and happiness of these Realms. Always afford thy gracious presence to those honourable Lords of his majesties Council: be● thou the Precedent at their Table, direct their consultations, sanctify their policies, order their purposes, and guide all their courses to such conclusions as may be most for thy glory, the honour of the King, the peace of the State, and the comfort of thy chosen. Bless all the judges, Sages and Magistrates of the State, make them as hiding places from the wind, & as a refuge for the tempest for the oppressed; cause them ever to remember that they are thy Ministers for the people's wealth, & that they execute not the judgements of man but of the Lord; & that although thou hast honoured them with thine own name, calling them gods, yet they shall die as men, & fall like others: that so judgement may not be turned into gall, nor the fruit of righteousness into wormwood, but the justice may be executed truly & uprightly in the gates, & all things may be to the praise of them that do well & to the punishment of those that are workers of iniquity. Neither may we (O Lord) forget those whom thou hast put in the service of thy church, to feed the flock which dependeth on them, to rule them & to go in & out before them, & to labour in the word and in doctrine. Thou (O Christ) art the chief shepherd & bishop of our souls, thou art the Lord of the harvest, build up (we beseech thee) the breaches of thy Church, make the righteousness thereof to break forth (yet more) as the light, & the salvation thereof as a burning lamp. Continue the standing and increase the number of those seeing watchmen, whom thou hast placed upon the walls of jerusalem; stir them up that they cease not, day nor nor night, working the work with which thou hast entrusted them, and faithfully dispensing that word of reconciliation which thou hast committed to them. Kindle in them the zeal of Samuel, that they may say, God forbidden that we should sin against the Lord, & cease praying for the people, and showing them the good & the right way: Make them with Paul to say, Woe unto us if we preach not the Gospel. And be pleased also so to bless their endeavours, & to prosper their labours, by giving them a door of utterance, and by preserving them from unreasonable and evil men, that they may from every part of the Land bring many sheaves into thy barn, and that daily those that are ordained unto life eternal may believe. And for a continual supply and nursery to thy Churches amongst us, bless the Universities and Schools of learning; let not those fountains (O Lord) be poisoned with any popish leaven: but grant that the doctrine which is according to godliness, being taught & professed in them in sincerity, by the young plants there springing up, the decais of congregations abroad may be renewed, and every place may be furnished with a Pastor after thy own heart, which may feed the people with knowledge and with understanding. And (Lord) restrain and reform the greediness of those which muzzle their mouths which should tread out the corn, and bring forth the food of life unto thy people, which respect not the Levite, but abridge the hire of the labourer, and say one to another, Let us take to our possession the habitations of God. Throughout the Land and among all the inhabitants thereof, plant the true knowledge & fear of thee, loyalty to their sovereign, obedience to all subordinate authority, love & reverence to their spiritual guide's unity of affection, mercy and compassion either to other. And inasmuch as (O Lord) we have continual experience of the malice of the devil, in sowing the seeds of sedition and treason in men's hearts, and in raising up the sons of Behal to overcast (if it might be) the fair day of our peace, with a cloud of hellish confusion; we pray thee, without whom no enterprises can be established, to make void their hopes, to discover their practices, and (as thou hast hitherto even miraculously done) to turn their devices upon their own heads for their own confusion. There come daily out of that Pit of Rome, many Locusts: and from that Sea, there is sent among us a continual spawn of new conspirators: these encourage themselves in wicked purposes, they commune together to lay snares, mischief they imagine against the quiet of the Land; It vexeth them to see the thriving of the Gospel, and the growth of thy truth, and they do even breathe out threatenings and slaughters against the professors thereof. Let not (O Lord) their imaginations prosper, let their eyes fall out with looking for that day which they have long desired; Let thy hand, even thy right hand, find them out: & if they belong not unto thee, make them like a fiery oven in the time of thine anger, destroy their fruit from the earth and their seed from the children of men, put them apart, and make ready the strings of thy bow against their faces. And as for us (O Lord) suffer us not to were wanton with the blessings of peace, nor to forget to render to thee according to thy rewards bestowed: but grant that thy kindnesses may bind us more strongly unto thee, & that we may resolve by thy grace to serve thee faithfully, who with us dealest so graciously, & that in & for Christ jesus sake thy son & our Saviour, Amen.   
FINIS.   

A Table of the Prayers contained in this Book.  

A Morning prayer for private families. pag. 1.  
An Evening prayer for private families. p. 15  
A Morning prayer for a private person. p. 35  
An Evening prayer for a private person. p. 44  
A more particular Morning prayer for the Sabbath day. p. 55  
A prayer before the hearing of the word. p. 64  
A prayer before the receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. p. 72  
A thanksgiving after. p. 78  
A prayer for the afflicted in what kind soever. p. 80  
A prayer in respect of some loss, as of Honour, Goods. etc. p. 88  
A prayer fitted to the loss of an especial friend, as Father, Husband, etc. p. 95  
A prayer applied to the state of a man inwardly perplexed with the horror of sin, with doubtings of God's favour, and with the temptations of satan tending to despair. p. 100  
A prayer then needful when a man hath some special combat with some one or more special sins, against which he desireth victory. p. 115  
A prayer of humiliation and sorrow after some special sin committed. p. 120  
A prayer in respect of death, needful at all times, but especially in sickness. p. 131  
A prayer more specially fitted to the state and occasions of a sick man. p. 141  
A direction for those who deny to perform the Christian duty of prayer for their sake whom they come to visit. p. 152  
A thanksgiving for a sick man after recovery. p. 157  
A prayer for a woman in her travail. p. 161  
A thanksgiving after delivery. p. 164  
A prayer for those which are employed in the assistance of a travailing woman. p. 168  
A thanksgiving, when God hath blessed their pains in the woman's delivery. p. 170  
A prayer for a soldier fight for his Country, or the confederates thereof. p. 173  
A prayer for a man travailing by Sea about his lawful business. p. 178  
A Prayer applied to the state of a Malefactor, condemned by law to die, & drawing to the time of execution. p. 184  
A prayer rising out of the serious meditation of the last judgement. p. 193  
A prayer fitted to the time of war. p. 202  
Another of like nature, respecting the time of Dearth and Famine. p. 207  
Another like, applied to the time of some great contagion. p. 215  
A meditation or prayer for a poor man. p. 220  
Another of like nature, for one whom God hath enriched with outward things p. 230  
A prayer for the whole State. 239