1 Confession is an humble, 1. Confession of 1 Sinne. hearty, and feeling acknowledg­ment, of the evill of Sinne; and of punishment done to, or due for, Sinne.

1 Confession of the euill of to which is necessary Sinne, both in the Habits, Acts, Kindes thereof. Which that it may bee done effectually, and to purpose, we must

1 Labour for the particular 1 A particu­lar knovv­ledge of sin. knowledge and discovery of Sin, in our owne soules, which must be by looking our selves in the glasse of the Law, whereby we shall discover our Sinnes in each Commandement. viz.

1 Comandement.

Atheisine, Epicurisme, Ido­latry—&c—

Atheism, in want of the Know­ledge, Love, Feare of God—Zeale, Faith—

Epicurisme, in mis-placing our affections.

[Page 15]Idolatry, in neglect of Gods mercies, in neglect of Gods works of Iustice, in neglect of Gods Saints, and communion with them—&c

2 Command.

Not worshipping God by praying, reading—

Will-worship, Idol-worship.

3 Command.

Serving God hypocritically, when his Word is preached, read—and prayer.

When his Sacraments are ad­ministred, not examining our selves, not reconciling our selves to our brethren, not discerning the Lords body.

Luke warmenesse, Uncheere­fulnesse, Unteachablenesse, In­corrigiblenesse, Security.

4 Command.

Not remembring the Lords day, longing to have it past.

Idlenesse, omitting duties pub­like or private.

[Page 16] 5 Command.

In the Family, Wife, Husband, Children, Parents, Master, Ser­vants—

In the Common-wealth, Sub­jects, Magistrates—&c.

In the Church, Ministers, Peo­ple—&c

6 Command.

Not pittying or relieving the afflicted.

Envying, Anger, Hatred, Worldly sorrow. Cursing.

Murthering of Soule, or Body.

7 Command.

Uncleannesse, Wantonnesse. Whoredome.

Drunkennesse, Gluttony—

8 Command.

Discontentednesse, Sloth, Un­thriftinesse. Oppression. Sacri­ledge.

9 Command.

Disgracing, and speaking evill of others, Censuring. Lying, Slandering, Vaine-boasting. Flat­tering, False-witnesse—

[Page 17] 10 Command.

Not desiring the good of o­thers, and our selves.

Delighting in the contempla­tion of evill.

2 Get our hearts deeply af­fected 2. Sense of it, and sorrow for it. with a true sense, and thorow feeling, of the haynous­nesse of our Sinnes, a serious de­testation, and vtter hatred of them, with vnfeined sorrow, and condemning our selves, for them.

3 Then descend wee to a 3. particular enumeration particular enumeration of them, in the bitter root, spreading bran­ches, cursed fruits, and dange­rous effects thereof—

First the Sinne of our first pa­rents, 1. Of Adams disobedience Adam and Evah: looke unto the rocke whence we were hewen, and to the hole of the pit whence wee were digged, for wee all sinned in their loynes, and so come short of the glory of God. Rom. 3. 23. 2. Originall sinne.

2 Originall depravation, and [Page 18] pollution of nature, in the cor­ruption to be descri­ed in the of the Vnderstanding. 2 Conscience. 3 Memory. 4 Will. 5 Sensitive appetite, and affecti­ons.

1 The corruption of the Vn­derstanding Vnderstan­ding. in 5.

1 Vanity therof, our thoughts are vaine, taken up with frothy, and fruitlesse speculations.

2 Blindnesse, being ignorant, and impotent, not able to con­ceive spirituall things.

3 Vnteachatlenesse, resisting and opposing the truth.

4 Incredulity, unapt to be­lieve the truth of God.

5 Enmity, 1 not subject to the Law of God. 2 Not resolving to be so holy, pure, exact as Gods Word requires. 3 but casting off Gods yoke and his coards, with reluctancie and distast.

2 Conscience, which is im­pure 1. Conscience. and polluted, without light, and life.

1 A bad remembrancer, and [Page 19] false register, setting downe sin by the halves; like the unjust Steward, but fifty, where hun­dreds are due.

2 A slack instigatour to good, or restrayner from evill, being not cleare to discerne things a­misse, like a dusty looking-glasse

Not sensible of sinne, or tender, but brawney, past feeling.

Not active, or stirring up to good, but sleeping, drowsie, not rowsing us to purpose, giving us no rest, but letting us sleepe se­curely againe.

3 A false accuser, or excuser, excusing for Sinnes: accusing for not Sins: 1 It should when the Law is preached, accuse, thou art the man: but then it extenuates that it is no sinne, or but a little sinne: approving, and allowing wayes and courses which seeme good to a Man, but tend to death.

2 When the Gospell is prea­ched, it should extenuate, but [Page 20] then it aggravates, crying out a­maine with Cain, My sinne is greater than—full of hellish and amazing terrours.

3 Memory full of weaknesse, 3. Memory. our remembrance being like un­to ashes, 1. forgetting what we ought to remember, as our Cre­atour in the dayes of our youth; 2 remembring what wee should forget, as injuries and indigni­ties.

4 Our Will is full of 4. Will.

1 Contrariety to the Will, and Word of God in every thing; refusing to doe what hee com­mands, but wilfull in doing what he forbids.

2 Pride, not dependant on, or subject unto Gods will; 'twill not stoope to bee, or to doe any thing for God, 'twill bee some­thing in it selfe, and must be car­ved to, in a good condition, as it selfe likes.

3 Inconstancie, unstable as water in good, peremptorie and [Page 21] resolute in evill: our tongues are our owne, who is Lord over us? though in some good mood like Saul to David it may weep, yet like the morning dewe it vanisheth presently.

4 Disobedience, when God commands apt to doe the con­trary.

5 Sensitive appetite, taking 5. Sensitive appetite. pleasure in sensible things too much, our appetites and senses outray in things lawfull, which come in by the senses.

• 1 Eyes, to women, wine—
• 2 Eares, itching after vanity.
• 3 Taste, meat and drinke, to Gluttony.
• 4 Touch, hands, &c.

6 Affections, deeply distem­pered, 6. Affections being violent, turbulent, sullen, way ward, untoward▪ rea­dy to be fired with any tempta­tion, rebellious against God: ei­ther 1. not active & lusting after good, or 2. placed where they should not bee, or 3 exceeding [Page 22] in measure: they overjoy, over­grieve, over love, we humour and please them, they can but aske and have—

This corruption is in the con­cupiscible and irascible faculties of the soule.

In the concupiscible faculties, 1 Love and Hatred, 2 Desire and Abomination, 3 Ioy & sorrow, which hath under it, Pitty, En­vie, Heavinesse, Repentance, and Zeale.

In the irascible faculties, 1 Hope and Despaire, 2 Boldnes, Anger, 3 Feare, which hath under it, Blushing, Shamefastnesse, Asto­nishment, Agony—

• 1 Love and hatred not of all good, not against all sin.
• 2 Delight, not in God, religi­on, the Saints.
• 3 Feare, Man, the creature, poverty—
• 4 Sorrow, cast downe for dis­grace.
  7. Body and members.

7 Body and members, Eyes [Page 23] Eares, Tongue, Hands, Feet. 3 Actuall sin in deeds of

Thirdly, Actuall transgressi­ons, against

the

• Law
• Gospell

of both, in our

1 Thoughts, being idle, vaine, frothie, not entertaining God in them.

2 Words rotten, unseasoned, they heale not, edifie not, our tongues set on fire of hell, cor­rupt with lying, slander, dissem­bling, backbiting.

3 Deeds of

• Omission,
• Commission,

Not husbanding the talents of 1. Omission and grace, and nature, which wee were betrusted with; which we have ill imployed: our precious time we raffle out—

Barren, unfruitfull, 1 for acts D [...]s [...]uncie and dueties.

1 Neglecting wholly, 2 inter­mitting, 3 slighting them.

Restreyning prayer, refuse the Sacrament, omit Fasting and Prayer.

[Page 24]2 Graces, want of

• love to Christ & godly men.
• humility.
• faith.
• zeale.

3 Mis-spending our time in vanity, raffling out our precious houres, and squandring away our talents.

4 Occasions of doing, and re­ceiving good, not clothed, not visited, not instructed others, or trying if at any time God would give them repentance.

2 Commission, in the rebelli­on, 2. Commission and sinfulnesse of our lives, sinning in our generall and par­ticular calling, confessing here the sinnes of our Sexe, comple­xion, constitution, &c. those we last of all committed, under [...]hich our consciences doe yet freshly bleede: by which God hath been most dishonoured—Both for,

• 1 Quantitie, in the
  • greatnesse.
  • frequencie.
• [Page 25]2 Quality, in the haynousnesse.
• 3 Relapses, iterations.
• 4 Circumstances, aggravating sinne. viz.

The Person against whom: The glorious God, our most gracious and tender Father.

Against our Christian Brethren, Superiours, Inferiours, Equalls, becomming guilty of other mens sinnes, occasioned by our Com­mand, Company, Counsell, Ill example, Connivence, Silence—&c.

Against our owne soules.

Against every Creature.

The Time, when, In generall, in particular.

In generall before and since our Conversion—&c. In Infancie, Child-hood, Youth, Mans-age, Old-age.

In particular, in the Day, Night—&c.

The Place, where, at home, and abroad.

At home, the Table, Closet, Bed.

[Page 26]Abroad, viz. in the Church, in Company, in the Fields—&c.

1 Against God himselfe. 1. Against God 2 and that against knowledg. 3 without any, or with very small Temptation. 4 against vowes and covenants. 5 against meanes afforded, to resist sinne, and doe better.

1 Hating of God, being ene­mies to him.

2 Denying by our workes, his power, omnipresence, ju­stice, omniscience, setting up base lusts to be our God.

3 Despising of God, if so we can hide our sinne from man, we never care though God see it.

2 And thus not onely of igno­rance 2. Presumptu­ously. when we-knew not, nor of infirmity being transported with passion, the Law in our members, but even of wilfulnes, and presumption, acted with a high hand, against Knowledge and the cries of a convinced con­science, which makes sinne rebel­lion; [Page 27] to know God, yet not to glorifie him as God, not in the dayes of our ignorance onely, but since the light of the glorious Gospell, hath shone into our hearts.

3 Without any, or with small 3. Without, or with temp­tations. temptation, resolving to sinne, selling themselves with Ahab, even in cold bloud, to doe wic­kedly. Heb. 10. 26. as in sinnes in which there is neither plea­sure, or profit, &c. As to sweare, prophane the Sabbath, refuse preaching, praying, scorning Gods wayes.

4 Against frequent purposes, 4. Against vowes— faire promises, of more holy o­bedience, reiterated vowes and covenants.

generall in

• Baptisme,
• Lords Supper.

particular on such and such an occasion.

5 Against meanes. 1 Bles­sings, coards of love. 2 Cor­rections, thou hast striken us, [Page 28] but wee have not sorrowed, Ier. 5. 3.

3 Word, early and late, all the day long.

• 1 Not thirsting after
  2. Sinnes a­gainst the Gospell.
  Christ Iesus, nor prizing, nor loving and cleaving un­to him with our dearest af­fection: 2 denying him in our lives.
• 2 Not repenting us of our sinnes, though God in mercie vouchsafe space and means, but hiding, excusing, not mourning for, nor for­saking sinne.
• 3 Not believing the pro­mises of salvation, nor re­lying upon Iesus Christ for justification, sanctification, and salvation, &c. not stir­ring up our selves to take hold of him, but forsaking our owne mercies
• 4 S [...]ning against the ho­l [...] Ghost, by tempting, grie­ving, or quenching the ho­ly [Page 29] spirit of God, receiving the grace of God in vaine, turning it into wantonnes, growing cold in religion, losing our first love.

Thus bringing our iniquities to remembrance, 1 wee must ac­knowledge and bewayle them, not onely generally, but indivi­dually also, one by one, fetching and ferreting them out (as so many Achans) by the poll, espe­cially those which are naturali­zed, and habituated in us, our be­loved and darling sinnes, our dearest Dalilahs.

• 1 Trobled, broken, bleeding melting spirit, beleeving heart, clasping the promises Ezr. 10. 2. yet now there is hope in Israel, &c.
• 2 Honest heart, wishing the confusion, as wel as making the confessiō of sin, meaning to leave every wicked way▪ and with purpose of heart cleaving to the Lord—

[Page 30]2 Confession of the evill of 2. part of Confession viz. of the wages of punishment. punishment, acknowledging our selves, in regard of these our so many and grievous sinnes, not onely to bee lesse than the least of all Gods mercies, but most justly worthy of his most dreadfull plagues, lyable and obnoxious to all evills of punishment in

Iudgements

• Corporall.
• Spirituall.
• Temporall.
• Eternall.

vid. Ezr. 9. Dan▪ 9.

Thus of the first part of Prayer, viz. CONFESSION.

The Second followes, The second part of pray­er, which is Petition. which is PETITION.

PEtition is either

for

• Our selves.
• Others.

[Page 31]1 Our selves, and is called Supplication, consisting of two branches, viz.

• Apprecation.
• Deprecation.

1 Apprecation, or collation of good, which also consists, in desiring;

1 Supply of all wants

• Spirituall.
• Corporall.

2 Continuance and encrease of all blessings both

• Eternall.
• Spirituall.
• Corporall.

1 Apprecation, for bestow­ing of all good blessings, viz. 1 Supplying all our wants of things, 1 Spirituall,

viz.

• Grace.
• Encrease of Grace.
• Meanes of Grace.

1 For the grace of free Par­don Apprecation for for our sinnes, that God for his mercies, promise, Christs sake 1. Pardon of sinne. (even the abundant merits of our Lord Iesus his bloudy passion, who hath satisfyed for them to the utmost farthing, by pouring out his soule for an oblation for [Page 32] the sinnes of the whole world) would be pleased freely to for­give, and blot them out of his booke, never laying them to our charge beforemen, to shame us in this world; or to our everlasting confusion before men and An­gels in the world to come.

Of which that we may more 2. Faith in Christ. fully bee assured, wee pray for a lively and apprehensive Faith, by which we may be inabled to lay hold on, and apply the gene­rall and free Promises of Salva­tion, to our selves in particular, that God would seale up the as­surance hereof to our conscien­ces, by the gracious testimony of his holy spirit, giving unto us the spirit of adoption, whereby we may with comfort and con­fidence cry ABEA father, that so being justifyed and freed from the guilt and punishment of all our sinnes wee may have peace of conscience, being reconciled to him in his Sonne.

[Page 33]2 Repentance unto life, where­by 3. Repentance. our stony hearts may be soft­ned & broken w ^th godly sorrow, & our eyes run down w ^th rivers of teares, for our falls and fay­lings heretofore, and we quick­ned to new obedience to serve the living God, in holinesse and righteousnesse all our remaining dayes.

3 All other sanctifying gra­ces▪ 4. All sancti­fying grace. accompanying & furthering our everlasting happinesse, 1. as saving knowledge, that we may understand what the holy and acceptable will of the Lord is. 2 Fervent love to God, our bre­thren, yea our very enemies, for his sake that loved us when wee were enemies. 3 Ardent zeale. 4 Lively hope▪ 5 Son-like feare of God. 6 True humility and contrition of spi­rit. 7 Sincerity and boldnesse in the profession of the truth. Per­severance, patience and strength under the crosse, Contentation in [Page 34] all estates, either of weale or 2. For growth and encrease of Grace. woe, want, or abundance.

2 Encrease and growth of all these graces, that the bruised reed may not be broken, nor the smoking Flaxe quenched, but that our graces, like the light, may shine more and more to the perfect day; and our works be more at last, than at the first. 3. The meanes of grace con­tinued and sanctifyed to us.

3 The meanes of grace con­tinued and sanctifyed unto us: as 1 Gods Word preached at Church. 2 Read in private, that the holy Ghost blessing it from heaven, may bring it close home unto, and savingly worke it upon our hearts, that thus the heavenly spirit breathing on his own ordinances, they may quic­ken us, and become effectuall to our salvation:

• 2 Sacraments.
• 3 Sabbaths.
  2. Petition for supply of temporall wants.
• 4 Prayer.
• 5 Fasting, &c.

2 Supply of wants temporall, [Page 35] our owne personall concerne­ments, and all outward blessings appertayning to this present life, Health, Liberty, Friends, Ray­ment, Food, giving and preser­ving to our use the kindly fruits of the earth, so as in due time wee may enjoy them: preser­vation in our persons and estates, Direction in all our courses, thoughts, words, actions: the blessing of God upon all our la­bours, a right and sanctifyed use of all Gods blessings, and cha­stisements.

2 Deprecation of Evills, per­sonall, 2. Deprecati­on. nationall, both of sinne and punishment, either before or af­ter it comes: Before it comes, aversion & prevention; After it comes, ablation or removall.

1 Wee pray against the evill of sinne, that we may be, 1 De­livered, freed and acquitted of the guilt and danger of all our sinnes. 2 Endued with watch­fulnesse, [Page 36] power, and dominion over them all: in our judge­ments to dislike them, in affecti­ons to hate them, in heart to be­waile them, and in life to forsake them— 1. To be freed from the guilt of Sin.

1 From the guilt and danger, that our sinne may not shame us before men, and torture our con­sciences here in this life, nor con­demne us body and soule in the world to com; y ^t our doing evil, omitting good, particular failings, Personall. frailties, distractions, indisposed­nes to serve God, our ignorance, Atheism, infidelitie, hypocrisie, in­constancie, pride, vaine-glory, envy, uncharitablenesse, putting off our repentance, forgetful­nesse, distrustfulnesse, unthanke­fulnesse, dulnesse, unchearfulnesse, felfe-love, strife, wrath, flattery, idlenesse, gluttony, uncleannesse, covetousnesse, all inordinate de­sires, and all the evill of our good workes—&c.—may never bee imputed or layd to our charge.

[Page 37]As likewise the Nationall un­thankfulnesse, Nationall. heresies, schismes, swearing, oppression, security—(which crye open▪mouth'd a­gainst us) may not enter into the eares of the Lord of hosts.

Secondly, That we may from on, high be indued with power o­ver those corruptions, and lusts, 2. To have povver 1. Over Sinne. to which pleasure allures, profit provokes, sinfull custome most of all swayes us; the plague of our own heart, that the lusts of our flesh may be crucifyed, and the whole body of sinne abolish­ed, and we leade our captivity captive.

2 Victory over all the deceits 2. The world. of the whole world (which lieth in wickednesse) and all the temp­tations thereof, that neither the persons, nor things therein, may become our suare.

3 Over the Devill, that arch­enemy 3. The Devill of our salvation, and his fiercest and eraftiest assaults: that [Page 38] he may never finally prevaile o­ver us: that the God of peace, would tread downe Satan un­der our feete, and so make us more than conquerors, through our Lord Iesus, who hath lo­ved us.

Secondly, Deprecation of the 2. To hee freed from the evill of pu­nishment. evill of Punishment: 1. All those dreadfull curses due to our sinnes, that they may not be in­flicted on us.

2 Deliverance from all plagues, which we now feele, or hereaf­ter may feare. viz.

1 Iudgements nationall, which Nationall. the whole Land mournes under: Plague of the pestilence, famine, warre, sedition, conspiracie—

2 Afflictions personall, that Personall. lie on our selves, either in soule, body, or in estate; troubles and terrours of conscience: griefe of minde, scandalls and offences, imprisonment, banishment, sick­nesse, poverty, disgrace, losse of [Page 39] friends or any other afflictions of what kinde soever: preser­vation from and in all dangers, Death it selfe, the king of ter­rours, the day of judgement, from Hell, and chaines of dark­nesse, from Gods wrath, and e­verlasting damnation—&c.

Secondly, We petition for o­thers, 2. I [...]tercession for the Ca­tholike Church. which is Intercession: and thus here, wee pray for the Ca­tholike Church of Iesus Christ, militant every where on earth, which is either,

1 Uncalled (yet belonging to the election of grace) that they may be converted as 1. Iews (our elder sister, which was in the covenant before us) 2 Pagans and Infidels, that they may heare the glad tidings of salvation, and that the Sunne of righteousnesse may arise on them, with healing in his wings, that they may en­joy Gods Word, Sacraments, Sabbaths, that God would bring [Page 40] home them that goe astray, in­struct the ignorant, and forgive them that rebelliously trans­gresse; Heretickes, yea the E­nemies, and Persecutours of the Church, that they all may bee converted, or (if implacable) con­founded: beseeching God to forgive our Enemies, Persecu­tors, and Slanderers, and to turne their hearts—

2 Already called, that the Lord 2. Called. would purge it from Schisme, and Heresie, and appease all un­happy differences in the Church, making all Christians keepe the unity of the spirit, in the bond of peace: and that he would warme and enliven the setling and coo­led affections of these secure and earthly-minded times. To watch over it for good, whether in the transmarine parts, and forraigne 3. In forraine arts. countries abroad, or our owne nation at home, & herein especi­ally our gracious soveraigne King Charles, and his Highnes Domi­nions, [Page 41] with all his sacred Stocke 2. Our land at home. and Lineage, the Queene, young Prince, Princesse, Duke: the Lady Elizabeth the Kings onely sister, and her Progenie. The Lords spirituall and temporall, those of his Majesties most ho­nourable Privie Councell: the Nobility, Majestra [...]ie, Ministrie, the two Universities, the Gen­try, and Commonalty, our Pa­rents, Kindred, Friends, Bene­factours, all such as we stand ob­liged unto by nature, desert, du­ty, or any speciall relation.

Thirdly, Afflicted in soule, 3. Afflicted. body, or in estate, being oppres­sed, and persecuted under Popish tyranny, or Mahumetan cruel­ty: those that bee destitute of all comforts of this life, that want foode, rayment, harbour, liberty, peace, health, that grone under poverty, famine, naked­nesse, &c.—that all the Israel of God may bee delivered from all their troubles.

3. THANKSGIVING.

THe third and last Part of our Prayers is Thankesgi­ving, that God would give us thankefull hearts for all his Bles­sings.

First, Positive.

Secondly, Privative in Tem­porall, spirituall, and eternall good things towards his whole

• 1 Triumphant, for provi­ding for it Heaven, a place of rest and happinesse: for the glorious Martyrs, god­ly Bishops, Preachers, and Confessors, that out of their ashes he hath wondrously raysed up beleevers.
• 2 Militant, for giving

• 1 Christ to be their Savi­our, captaine and leader.
• 2 Holy spirit to bee their comforter.
• [Page 43]3 God himself to be their father.
• 4 His Gospell, Sacra­ments,—&c.

Secondly, For his blessings to our selves, for that eternall, un­changeable, 2. Our selves in particu­lar. Election, &c. infinite, everlasting, undeserved love of his to us, in our Election in, and Redemption by Iesus Christ, our vocation, our Adoption, Iustification, San­ctification inchoate, with assured hope of future Glorification.

That we were borne of Chri­stian and beleeving Parents, in a land of righteousnesse, in a time of knowledge, planted in religi­ous families & towns, undergod­ly and painfull Ministers, and gra­cious Governours, that we en­joy Gods word and Sacraments in the power and purity of them, for the many great and precious promises made to us therein,

Which are either performed already towards us; or shall be [Page 44] hereafter in due time accom­plished:

For all the Graces of the ho­ly [...]. For grace in any mea­sure. spirit, for the gracious and free pardon of our many sinnes, Faith, Repentance, some care of sin­cere obedience, and tender hearts desiring to feare God: for pow­er against, and prevailing over any sinne, that we are not given over to Heresies, and Errours in opinion, nor to those base and fleshly Lusts that some others are, in our lives, nor to a hard heart, reprobate minde, benum­med conscience, and finall Apo­stasie: for victory in any temp­tation, over subtle Satan, the al­luring world, and our own selfe­deceiving selves.

Secondly, Temporall Blessings. 2. Thankesgi­ving for Temporall Blessings.

viz. of

• Creation.
• Providence.

1 Creation after Gods own image, not being made a Beast, Toad, Foole, &c.

[Page 45]2 Gods providence

• Nationall
• Personall

in those

wonder­full

• Deliverances of the nation—
• Preservation, peace,

plenty towards us, and fatherly care over us, in our birth and in­fancie, ever since we hung upon the [...]rests: in our childe-hood, youth, mans estate, unto old age and gray haires,; for our health continued so long, or restored of late, for understanding▪ judge­ment, and discretion, peace, li­berty, prosperity, food, raiment, same and good esteeme among Gods people: for wealth, friends Godly parents, carefull [...]utours, masters, and governours: good education, quietnesse of minde, contentment, &c.—Daily pre­servation, manifold deliveran­ces from imminent and appa­rent, yea unseene and unfeared dangers, For his fatherly cha­stisements, and corrections: for sanctifying to our everlasting [Page 46] good, our afflictions, sicknesses, crosses, temptations; for or­dinary and extraordinary favors, for desired successe in our labors, and vocations: for blessing the workes of our hands, upon us in the day, and for preserving and refreshing us with sweet sleepe in the night: and finally all bles­sings of what kinde soever, may here (as occasion is offered) yea must be remembred with thank­ful acknowledgement unto God, not onely verbally with our lips and tongue, but vitally and real­ly in a holy conversation shining in our life; lest it be verifyed of us, which our Saviour saith con­cerning the Lepers, Were there not ten cleansed, but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory unto God, &c. Luk. 17. 17. 18.

Helpes against it.

1 A Voice in prayer, for the Helpes a­gainst Di­straction in Prayer. thought alone, is easily distra­cted.

2 Darkenesse, and the remo­ving of all objects that may distract.

3 Be short in thy prayers, and pray the oftner, Eccles. 5.

4 Mortifie our lusts, for they clip the wings of our prayers: pride, covetousnesse, 1 Tim. 2. 8 wantonnesse, chol [...]er.

5 Meditate before you pray, of Gods greatnesse, of his judge­ments, of our sinnes, &c.—The godly man will bee sorry for, judge and condemne himselfe for, his distraction, formalitie, deadnesse of spirit, &c.

The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth, Psal. 145 18—to this man will Isai. 66. 2. I looke, even to him that is poore, and of a contrite spirit, [Page 49] and trembleth at my word.

Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God, for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth, therefore let thy words be few.—Take heed thou give not the sacrifice of fooles: if thou offer the lame and the Eccles. 5. 2. vers. 1. sicke unto thy governour, will he be pleased with thee, or ac­cept thy person? Cursed be the Mal. 13. 14. deceiver which hath in his flocke a male, and voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord, a cor­rupt thing. Offer incense unto Mal. 1. 11. his name and a pure offering: whatsoever thine heart pray­eth let it bee heartily, with all thy might, labour for the spirit of prayer; which the Lord pro­miseth to his faithfull ones, the Spirit of grace, and of supplica­tions—for know that: Zech. 12. 10.

1 A very hypocrite may pray and that (as one would thinke) very zealously, both with o­thers, [Page 50] and also apart by him­selfe. For is the true Christian M. Dyke on the hearts deceiptf. sometimes hot in prayer? hee will sweat: is the humbled soule sorrowfull? he wil weepe and blubber: doth the sincere heart sigh softly? hee will cry out amaine, with a great and ex­ceeding bitter cry, as Esau, Blesse Gen. 27. 34. me, even mee also O my father. It stands us therefore in hand, to looke that our hearts bee right, in the sight of God.

2 For, what is the hope of the Iob▪ 27. 8. 10. hypocrite? will hee delight him­selfe in the Almighty, will hee al­wayes call upon God? no, for in more grievous crosses, he some­times hath not one word to blesse himselfe withall—yet hee sometimes may then seeke God early,—they powred out their Hos. 5. 15. Isai. 26. 16. prayer when thy chastning was upon them.

3 In thy Praying, seeke Gods 2 Chr▪ 7. 14. face; herein the hypocrite is too blame, hee prayes out of selfe­respects, [Page 51] for base ends—and out of pride, and vaine glory, hee prayes more often, more zea­lously with others, than alone by himselfe, to his father in secret—not with all manner of pray­er, &c. the touchstone of prayer is giving of thankes, in which he is seldome, about which he does but bungle.

4 Make not prayer thy end in praying, but use it in good sadnesse, as a meanes to bee ena­bled against corruptions, and to get grace: the hypocrites are lazie lip-prayers, hee feeles not sinne like a mountaine of leade lying on his conscience, hee sees not a want of grace, &c. he puts not to the shoulder, he useth not the meanes for the atteining of what hee prayes: his hands la­bour M. Dyke ibid. not, his feet bestirre them not so fast as his tongue—hee prayes against sinne, yet lives wickedly: hee prayes for health, &c. and yet lives rio­tously, [Page 52] intemperately, would I Our sacrifi­ces must bee offered with fire, warmth of enflamed Zeale. Cold Prayers are to God as dead drinks be to us. had such and such a grace, but hee is not sicke of love, nor ear­nest for those graces: hee desi­reth, he never breaketh his sleep for the matter, hee hungers not, thirsts not for righteousnesse; Hunger will breake stone wals­and the sincere Christian, will have no nay, like Rachel, give mee children, give me this and this grace, or I die: hee useth the meanes, O that my wayes were so directed! Like as the Hart brayeth for the water Psal. 42. 1. Ps. 119. 20. brookes, my soule-breaketh for the longing that it hath—

5 Pray without ceasing, per­severe Luk. 18. 10. 1 Thes. 5. 17▪ in prayer, and faint not; never thinke thy selfe to have too much heavenly society, and talke with God, acquaint thy selfe still more with the Al­mighty—The hypocrite is in­constant, fickle off and on—Wicked men and hypocrites have taken up a course of prayer, [Page 53] and breeding and custome have wrought a kind of conscience in some: but they but lust with Balaam, let mee die the death of—2. They alwayes have one pad, one forme,—3. From the lips or braines, not from the spi­rit. 4. At randome, as men shoot, not minding how their arrow lights or speeds. 5. They begin and end in themselves, with their owne strength, for their owne particular ends, not for the Church.

Meanes of PREPARATION to Prayer.

1 CLense our soules from the guilt of foule sinnes, Isai. 1. those lately committed. Wash Tergat spe­culum, mun­det spiritum. Bern. you, make you cleane—The Iewes and Turkes wash their bodies; wash thou thy soule in the brinish teares of sincere sor­row.

2 Sequester our thoughts [Page 54] from worldly cares goe up in­to the mount: retire thy selfe some little while before thou prayest: outward things stifle our prayers, and make them hang the wing.

3 Consider we have to doe with God, come with feare and trembling into his presence, not rushing on a consuming fire.

PREPARATION.

LEt us lift up our heart, with Lam. 3. 41. our hands unto God in the heavens.

Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, Psal. 123. 1. O thou that dwellest in the hea­vens.

DESCRIPTIONS of GOD.

O God, the God of the Spi­rits Num. 16. 22. of all flesh—

[Page 60]Thou art a God ready to par­don, Nehe. 9. 17. gracious and mercifull, slow to anger, and of great kinde­nesse.

O thou that hearest prayers— Psal. 75. 2. Isai. 42. 5.—Thou Lord that createdst the heavens, and stretchedst them out, that spreadest foorth the earth, and that which commeth out of it; that givest breath un­to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walke therein.

—The God in whose hand our Dan. 5. 23. breath is, and whose are all our wayes.

The high and lofty One, that Isai. 57. 15. inhabitest eternity, whose name is holy; who dwellest in the high and holy place, &c.

The living God and the ever­lasting Ier. 10. 10. King.

—Who hast made the earth by 12. thy power, and hast established the world by thy wisedome, and stretched out the heavens by thy discretion.

[Page 61]That formest the mountaines Amos 4. 15. and createst the wind, & declarest unto man what is his thought, that makest the morning darke­nesse; and treadest upon the high places of the earth.

The blessed and onely Poten­tate, 1 Tim. 6. 15. the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords: Who onely hast 16. immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approch unto, whom no man hath seene or can see.

—The Lord of Hoasts, which Sam. 1. 4. 4 dwelleth betweene the Che [...]u­ [...]ims.

—Behold the heaven, and the 1 King. 8. 27 heaven of heavens cannot con­taine thee.

—Thine is the Kingdome, O 1 Chr. 29. 11 Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.

Both riches and honour come 12. of thee, and thou reignest over all, and in thine hand is power and might, and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give [Page 62] strength unto all.

Behold, even to the Moone, Iob 25. 5. and it shineth not, yea, the Stars are not pure in his sight.

—O Lord my God, thou art Psal. 104. 1. very great; thou art cloathed with honour and Majesty.

Who coverest thy selfe with 2. light, as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtaine.

—The nations are as a drop of a Isai. 40. 15. bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the ballance: hee taketh up the Isles as a very lit­tle thing.

All nations before him are as 17. nothing, and they are counted to him lesse than nothing, and va­nity.

It is he that sitteth upon the 22. circle of the Earth, and the in­habitants thereof are as grashop­pers, that stretcheth out the hea­vens as a curtaine, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in.

O Lord of Hoasts, that tri­eth Ier. 20. 12. [Page 63] the righteous, and seest the reines and the heart.

—The Lord which giveth the Ier. 31. 35. Sunne for a light by day, and the ordinances of the Moone and of the Stars, for a light by night, which divideth the Sea, when the waves thereof roare, the Lord of Hoasts is his name.

—Lord God behold thou hast Ier. 32. 17. made the heaven and the earth, by thy great power, and stretch­ed out arme, and there is nothing too hard for thee.

Thou shewest loving kind­nesse 18. unto thousands, and recom­pencest the iniquity of the Fa­thers into the bosome of their children after them, the great, the mighty God, the Lord of hoasts is his name.

Great in Councell, and migh­ty 19. in worke, for thine eyes are open upon all the wayes of the Sonnes of men, to give every one according to his wayes, and according to the fruit of his do­ings.

[Page 64]—The King whose name is the Ier. 46. 18. Lord of Hoasts.

—Him that maketh the seaven Amos 5 8. Stars and Orion, and turneth the shaddow of death into the mor­ning, and maketh the day darke with night: that calleth for the waters of the Sea, and powreth them out upon the face of the earth, the Lord is his name.

—He that buildeth his stories in Amos 9 6. the heaven, and hath founded his troupe in the earth.

Who is a God like unto thee Mich. 7. 18. that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage, he retaineth not his anger for ever, because hee delighteth in mer­cie.

He rebuketh the Sea, and ma­keth Nah. 1. 4. it dry and drieth up all the Rivers.

I hou art of purer eyes then Hab. 1. 13. to behold evill, and canst not looke on iniquity.

• [Page 65]Mercie and long­suffering.
  • Exod 34. 6.
  • 2 Pet. 3. 9.
  • 2 Chron. 30. 9.
  • Nehem. 9. 31.
  • Psal. 103. 8. 11. 13. 17.
  • Mic. 7. 18. 19.
  • Rom. 2. 4.
• Gracious Promises
  • Gen. 3 15.
  • Psal. 103 3. 9.
  • Psal. 30. 5.
  • Psal 126. 5.
  • Isay. 1 18.
  • Isay 54 8.
  • Ezec. 18 21. 23.
  • Ezech. 33. 11.
  • Math. 12. 20.
  • Math. 11. 28.
  • Rom. 8. 1.
• Omnipo­tent goodnes.
  • Eph. 3. 20.
  • Gen. 17. 1.
  • 2 Cor. 9. 8.
  • Rom. 10. 12.

Craving of AVDIENCE, ASSISTANCE, and ACCEPTANCE.

Looke downe from thy holy Deut. 26. 15 habitation, from heaven.

—have thou respect unto the 1 Reg. 8. 28. prayer of thy servant, and to my supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken to the cry, and to the praier which thy servant prayeth before thee this day.

Thou hast commanded that we should call upon thee in the Psal. 50. 15. day of trouble, and hast promi­sed also that thou wilt deliver us.

Lord bow downe thine eare and heare, open Lord thine eyes 2 Reg. 19. 16. and see, and heare the words—

Let my prayer bee set forth before thee as incense: and the Psal. 141. 2. lifting up of my hands as the e­vening sacrifice.

Thou hast promised that if wee shall aske any thing in thy Iohn 14. 14. Sonnes name, thou wilt doe it—

[Page 67]Now therefore, O our God, Dan. 9. 17. heare the prayer of thy servants, and their supplication, and cause thy face to shine upon us for the Lords sake,—for wee doe not 18. present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesse, but for thy great mercies.

Wee know not what wee Rom. 8. 26. should pray for as we ought, therefore let thy Spirit it selfe helpe our infirmities, and make intercession for us with groa­nings which cannot be uttered.

It shall come to passe when Exo. 22. 27. he cryeth unto me, that I will heare, for I am gracious.

—Hearken thou to the supplica­tion 1 Kin. 8. 30. of thy servant, and of thy people Israel when they shall pray towards this place, & heare thou in heavē thy dwelling place and when thou hearest, forgive. 36—Heare thou in heaven and for­give the sinne of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way [Page 68] wherein they should walke, and give raine upon thy land which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.

Heare thou in h [...]eaven thy 43. dwelling place, and doe accor­ding to all that the stranger cal­leth to thee, for that all people of the earth may know thy name to feare thee, as doe thy people Israel.

Heare thou in heaven thy 39. dwelling place, and forgive and doe, and give to every man ac­cording to his wayes.

Let thine eare now be atten­tive, Nehe. 1. 6. and thine eyes open, that thou may est heare the prayer of thy servants.

Hearken unto the voyce of Psal. 5. 2. my cry, my King and my God: for unto thee will I pray.

—Heare the voyce of my sup­plication Psal. 28. 2. when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy Oracle.

Give eare O Lord unto my Psal. 86. 6. [Page 69] prayer: and attend to the voyce of my supplication.

Let the words of my mouth, Psal. 19. 14. and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my re­deemer.

Unto thee lift I up mine eyes: Psal. 123. 1 O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

Heare my prayer, O Lord Psal. 143. 1 give eare to my supplications, in thy faithfullnesse answer me, and in thy righteousnesse.

Heare me speedily, O Lord, 7. my spirit faileth, hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that goe downe into the pit.

Looke downe from heaven, Isai. 63. 15. and behold from the habitation of thy holinesse, and of thy glo­ry.

O Lord how long shall I cry, Hab. 1. 2. [...]. and thou wilt not heare, I even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save.

CONFESSION of Sinne.

O my God, I am ashamed Ezra 9. 6. and blush, to lift up my face to thee my God, for our iniquities are increased over our heads, and our trespasse is growne up unto the heavens.

Thou createdst our first Pa­rents Gen 1. 27. in thine owne image, and breathedst into their nostrils the 2. 7. 3. 13. breath of life: but the Serpent beguiled them, and they did eate of the forbidden Fruit, Heb. 7. 10. whereby all mankind (being then in their loines) also sinned: Rom. 3. 23. and now come short of the glo­ry of God—

—thou madest man upright, but Eccles. [...]. 29 they sought out many inven­tions.

We are risen up in our fathers Num. 32. 14 steed an increase of sinfull men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the Lord toward us.

Behold I was shapen in ini­quity, [...]il. [...] ▪ [...]. [Page 71] and in Sinne did my mo­ther conceive me.

We know Lord that in us, Rom. 7. 18. (that is, in our flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for (though to will be present with us, yet) how to performe that which is good we finde not.

Thou Lord seest that the wic­kednesse Gen. 6. 5. of man is great upon earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is onely evill continually—

If I justifie my selfe mine Io [...] 9. 20. owne mouth shall condemne me,—the heaven shall reveale &. 20. 27. our iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against us.

What is man that he should 15. 14. bee cleane? and hee which is borne of a woman, that hee should be righteous?

—abominable and filthy is [...] 6. man, which drinketh iniquity like water.

—for mine iniquityes are Psal. 38. 4. growne over mine head, and as [Page 72] a heavy burden they are too heavie for me.

Who can say I have made my Pro. 20. 9. heart cleane? I am pure from my sinnes?

Wee are all as an uncleane Isai. 64. 6. thing, and all our righteousnes­ses are as filthy ragges: and our iniquities like the wind have ta­ken us away—and there is none 7. of us that calleth upon thy Name, that stirreth up himselfe to take hold on thee—

We have made thee to serve Isai. 43. 24. with our sinnes, we have weari­ed thee with ou [...] iniquities—

The shew of our countenance Isai. 3. 9. doth witnesse against us, and we declare our sinne as Sodome and hide it not: woe unto our soule for we have rewarded evill to our selves—

If thou Lord shouldest marke Psal. 130. 3. iniquities: O Lord who shall stand? But [...]h [...]re is forgivenesse with thee: that thou mayest be feared.

[Page 73]If we should be weighed by Dan. 5. 27. thee in the balances, we should be found wanting.

And that which makes our Rom 7. 13. sin become exceeding sinfull, in the land of uprightnes have we dealt unjustly, & would not be­hold Isa. 26. 10. the majestie of the Lord.

—We are ashamed of the Go­spell Rom. 1. 16. of Christ, though it be the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeveth.

Thou hast spread out thy Isa. 65. 2. hands all the day, unto a rebelli­ous people which have walked in a way that was not good af­ter their owne thoughts.

Ah Lord God! we love not 1 Cor. 16. 22 Eph. 6. 24. Isai. 53. 3. the Lord Iesus in sincerity.

—We hide as it were our faces from him, and will not have him to raigne over us.

Alas! wee count not all Phil. 3. 8. things losse and doung for the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ Iesus our Lord.

—That we might bee found in 9. [Page 74] him not having our owne righ­teousnesse.

—We take no paines to know 10. him, and the power of his re­surrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, or to bee made conformable to his death.

Thou hast given us space to Rev. 2. 21. repent of all our abominations that wee have committed, but we repented not.

Wee confesse not our trans­gressions Psal. 32. 5. unto thee Lord, that thou mightest forgive the ini­quity of our sinne.

Thou hast stricken us but we Ier. 5. 3. have not grieved, thou hast con­sumed us but wee have refused to receive correction, wee have made our faces harder than a rocke, and have refused to re­turne.

We have received the grace of God in vaine, and have neg­lected the great Salvation which thou tendrest unto us in Iesus Christ.

[Page 75]Wee have grieved the holy Ephes. 4. 30▪ Spirit of God, whereby wee are sealed to the day of redemp­tion—and have turned the Iude 4. grace of God into lascivious­nesse.

We have left our first love— Revel. 2. 4. Psal. 42. 2. our soule thirsteth not for God, for the living God.

—We have even sinned wilful­ly, Heb. 10. 26. since we received the know­ledge of the truth: so that ( we may justly feare,) there remay­neth now no more sacrifice for our sinnes, but a certaine feare­full looking for of judgement, and fiery indignation—For if 27. he that despised Moses law died without mercy—Of how much 28. sorer punishment shall wee be thought worthy, who have 29. troden under foote the Sonne of God, and have counted the blood of the covenant where­with we were sanctified, an un­holy thing, and have done de­spite to the Spirit of Grace.

[Page 76]—Many scarlet and crimsin sins, Isai. 1. 18. have wee committed whereby great occasion hath beene given by us to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. 2 Sam. 12. 14 Ier. 5. 28.

Yea we overpasse the deeds of the wicked.

Wherefore I abhorre my Iob 42. 6. selfe and repent in dust and ashes.

For innumerable evils have Psal. 40. 12. compassed me about, mine ini­quities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to looke up: they are moe then the haires of my head: there­fore my heart faileth me.

For thou art the God of my Psal. 43. 2. strength, why dost thou cast me off? why goe I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy.

Thou hast set our iniquitles Psal. 90. 8. before thee, our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance.

When yee come to appeare Isai 1. 12. before me, who hath required [Page 77] this at your hand, to tread my courts?

For Ierusalem is ruined, and Isai. 3. 8. Iudah is f [...]llen, because their tongues, and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory.

Woe unto them that draw Isai. 5. 18. injquity with cords of vanity, and sinne as it were with a Cart rope.

But your injquities have se­parated Isai. 59. 2. between you and your God, and your sinnes have hid his face from you that hee will nor heare.

As a Fountaine casteth out Ier. 6. 7. her waters, so shee casteth out her wickednesse, violence and spoyle is heard in her, before mee continually is griefe and wounds.

Yet I had planted thee a no­ble Ier. 2. 21. vine wholly a right seed: How then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

[Page 78]For though thou wash thee Ier. 2. 22. with niter, and take thee much sope, yet thine injquities is marked before mee saith the Lord God.

The sinne of Iudah is written Ier. 17. 1. with a pen of jron, and with the point of a diamond, it is gra­ven upon the table of their heart, and upon the hornes of your altars.

Behold I am pressed under Amos. 2. 13. you as a cart is pressed, that is full of sheaves.

For I know your manifold Amos 5. 12. transgressions and your mighty sinnes.

For wee know that the Law Rom. 7. 14. is spirituall but I am carnall sold under sinne.

But I see another law in my 23. members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sinne which is in my members: O wretched man that I am who 24. shall deliver me from the body of this death.

2. EVILL of punishment.

And for all these thou our Ezr. 9. 13. God hast punished us lesse than our injquities deserve.

It is of the Lords mercies Lam. 3. 22. that wee are not consumed, be­cause his compassions faile not.—If thou shouldst lay judge­ment Isay. 28. 17. to the line, and righteous­nesse to the plummet—thou Deu. 29. 23. mightest make thy anger and jealousie to smoke against us, and all the curses that are writ­ten in thy booke, thou mightest lay upon us, and blot out our name from under heaven,

Thou mightest give us our Psal. 9. 17. portion with the wicked that are turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

See the heads Plague, Pu­nish, &c. in the Seripture Phrases.

2. PETITION for FORGIVENES.

But with thee Lord is mercy, Psal 130. 7. and with thee is plenteous re­demption—O therefore par­don Exod. 34. 9. our injquities and our sinne, and take us for thine inheri­tance.

Put away our transgressions Isai. 44. 2. as a cloud, and our sinnes as a mist.

O Lord though our injqui­ties Ier. 14. 7. testifie against us, doe thou it for thy names sake: for our back-slidings are many, we have sinned against thee.

O that I might have my re­quest, Iob 6. 8. and that God would grant mee the thing that I long for!—even that it would please Nehe 4 5. him to cover mine injquity, and cause my sinne to be blotted out from before him.

Remember not the sinnes of Psal. 25. 7. my youth, nor my transgressi­ons: according to thy mercie [Page 81] remember thou mee, for thy goodnesse sake, O Lord.

For thy names sake O Lord Psal. 25. 11. pardon mine injquity for it is great.

O remember not against us Psal 79. 8. former iniquities, let thy mer­cies speedily prevent us.—Take Hos. 14. 2. away our injquitie, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calues of our lips.

Turne againe and have com­passion Mic. 7. 19. upon us; subdue our in­jquities, and cast all our sinnes into the depthes of the Sea.

Behold the Lambe of God Ioh. 1. 29. that taketh away the sinnes of the world.

To this end was hee borne, Ioh. 18 37. and for this cause came hee into the world, that hee might save sinners, of whom wee are the chiefe.

Hee was wounded for our Isai. 53. 5. transgressions, hee was bruised for our injquities: the chastise­ment of our peace was upon [Page 82] him, and with his stripes are we healed.

For his sake, and in his blood, Psal. 57. 2. wash me throughly from mine injquities, and cleanse me from Psal. 51. 2. my sinne.

—Purge me with Hysope and I 7. shall be cleane, wash mee and I shall bee whiter than snow. Hide thy face from my sinnes, and blot out all mine injquities.

—I have▪ sinned greatly in that 2 Sam, 24. 10 I have done, and now I beseech thee O Lord, take away the inj­quitie of thy servant, for I have done very foolishly.

Looke thou upon me and bee Ps. 119. 132 mercifull unto me as thou usest to doe unto those that love thy name.

—Though your sinnes bee as Isai. 1. 18. scarlet they shall be as white as snow: though they be red like c [...]imson they shall be as wooll.

Behold thou art the Lord the Ier. 32. 27. God of all flesh, there is no­thing too hard for the.

For FAITH.

O we are of little faith, there­fore, Math. 6. 39. O Lord, encrease our faith, though it be yet but as a graine Luk. 17. 5. Math. 7. 20. Rom. 5. 1. of mustard seed,—

—that being justified by faith, wee may have peace with thee.

Worke in us not a dead faith, Iam. 2. 20. Heb. 12. 14. but that which may bee rich in good workes, following after peace with all men, and holi­nesse, without which none shall see God.

Create in mee a cleane heart; Psa. 51. 10. O God: and renew a right spi­rit within me.

—Not having mine owne righ­teousnesse Phil. 3. 9. which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteous­nesse which is of God by faith.

For REPENTANCE.

Oh that my head were wa­ters, and mine eyes a fountaine [Page 84] of teares that I might weepe day and night, for—

O that all the night I could Psa. 6. 6. make my bed to swim! that I could water my couch with my teares! that I might repent in sacke-cloth and ashes.—and grant us repentance unto life— Mat. 11. 21. Act. 11. 18.

Thou hast in love to our soules vouchsafed unto us space and time to repent in; O that Rev. 2. 21. thou wouldst also give us grace to repent! O that there were Deut 5. 29. such an heart in us that wee might repent, and recover our selues out of the snare of the Devill, who have beene hither▪ to taken captive by him at his 2 Tim 2. 26. will!

Doe thou melt our stonie 2 Cor. 7. 10. hearts into godly sorow, which worketh repentance unto salva­tion not to bee repented of.

SANCTIFYING GRACE.

Sprinkle cleane water upon Ezek 37. 25. [Page 85] us that we may bee cleane from all our filthinesse, and from all our—

—a new heart also doe thou Eze. 36. 26. give us, and a new spirit doe thou put within us; and take a­way the stony heart out of the middest of us, and give thou unto us an heart of flesh—

—and put thy Spirit within 27 us, and cause thou us to walke in thy statutes, and keepe thy judgements, and doe them.

KNOWLEDGE.

That the God of our Lord Ephes. 1. 17. Iesus Christ, the father of glo­ry, would give unto us the spirit of wisedome and [...]evelation in the knowledge of him—

The eyes of our understan­ding 18. being inlightned: that we may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints.

—that the earth may bee fil­led Hab. 2. 14 [Page 86] with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea.—that all may know thee Heb. 8. 11. from the least to the greatest of us.

That Christ may dwell in Ephes. 3. 17. our hearts by faith, that we be­ing rooted and grounded in love,—may be able to compre­hend 18. with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and heighth: And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge,—that wee might 19. be filled with all the fulnesse of God.

That I may know him, and Phil. 3. 10. the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffe­rings, being made conformable unto his death—

And because it is not good Prov. 192. that the soule bee without knowledge, incline our eares to wisedome and apply our hearts to understanding—that we may Prov. 2. 2. cry after knowledge, and lift up [Page 87] our voice for understanding, that wee may understand the 3. 5. feare of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God—

—That wee may be enabled Hos. 8. 2. to cry unto thee, Our God wee know thee. Vid. Ier. 31. 33. 34.

LOVE of GOD, &c.

That wee may love the Lord Mat. 22. 37. our God with all our heart, and with all our soule, and with all our mind,—that because our Luke 7. 47. sinnes which are many are for­given us, therefore we may love thee much.

That wee may love one ano­ther Iohn 13. 34. as Christ hath loved us——that our love may abound yet Phil. 1. 9. more and more towards all men, especially them that are of the houshold of faith— Gal. 6. 10.

That wee may love our ene­mies, Mat. 5. 44. blesse them that curse us, doe good unto them that hate us, and pray for them that dis­pitefully use, and persecute us.

ZEALE.

Make us to bee zealous of Tit. 2. 14. good workes, that we may not rest contented with a luke­warme profession, being nei­ther cold nor hot, but that our soule may breake for the long­ing Rev. 3. 16. that it hath to thy judge­ments at all times,—that the Psa. 119. 20 zeale of thine house may eate us up—that so our zeale may Iohn 2. 17. 2 Cor. 9. 2. provoke very many—

SINCERITIE.

Behold thou desirest truth in Psal. 51. 6. the inward parts, O therefore make us Israelites indeed in Iohn 1. 47. whom there is no guile.

That in simplicitie and godly 2 Cor. 1. 12. purenesse wee may have our conversation in the world; be­cause Ier. 16▪ 17. thine eyes are upon all our wayes: and thou understandest our thoughts a farre off, and art acquainted with all our wayes: for there is not a word in our Psal. 139. 2 [Page 89] tongue, but loe, O Lord, thou 3. knowest it altogether.

And thou wilt bring to light 1 Cor 4. 5. the hidden things of darknesse: and wilt make manifest the counsels of the heart.

Though they dig into hell, Amos 9. 2. thence shall my hand take them, though they climbe up to hea­ven, thence will I bring them downe.

And though they hide them­selves 3. in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence, and though they be hid from my sight in the bottome of the Sea, thence will I command the Serpent, and hee shall bite them.

If thou sayest behold, wee Prov. 24. 12. knew it not, doth not he that pondereth the heart, consider it, and that keepeth thy soule, doth not he know it, and shall not he render to every man according to his workes?

God shall bring every worke Eeles. 12. 14▪ [Page 90] into judgement with every se­cret thing whether it be good, or whether it be evill.

—the Lord seeth not as man se­eth: 1 Sam. 16. 7. for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

I beseech thee O Lord, re­member 2 Kin. 20. 3. now how I have wal­ked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight.

—the Lord searcheth all hearts, 1 Chr. 28. 2. and understandeth all the imagi­nations of the thoughts.

Can any hide himselfe in se­cret Ier. 23. 24. places that I shall not see him, sayeth the Lord, doe not I fill heaven and earth sayeth the Lord.

Shall not God know this, Psal. 44. 21. for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

The darknesse hideth not Ps. 139. 12. from thee, but the night shi­neth as the day the darknesse [Page 91] and the light are both alike to thee.

The Spirit of man is the can­dle Prov. 20. 27. of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

—thou even thou knowest the 1 King. 8. 39 hearts of all the children of men.

Neither is there any creature Heb. 4. 13. that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and ope­ned to the eyes of him, with whom they have to doe.

BOLDNES the Profession of the GOSPEL.

That we may not be ashamed Rom. 1. 1 [...], of the Gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto sal­vation to every one that belee­veth.

—Grant unto thy servants that Act 4. 29. with all boldnesse we may speak of; and professe thy word.

—Considering that if we shall Mark. 8. 38. bee ashamed of Our Lord Iesus Christ, and of his words in this [Page 92] adulterous, and sinfull generati­on, the Sonne of man also will be ashamed of us, when he com­meth in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels.

PERSEVERANCE.

O that there were such an Deut. 5. 29. heart in us that we might feare thee, and keepe thy commande­ments alway, that it might be well with us, and with our chil­dren after us for ever!

Give us our heart and our Ier. 32. 39. way, that we may feare thee for ever; and make thou an ever­lasting covenant with vs, that thou wilt not turne away from 40. us, to doe us good, and put thy feare in our hearts that we may not depart from thee.

—Let us hold fast the profes­sion Heb. 10. 23. of our faith without wave­ring.

CONTENTATION.

—that we may learne in what­soever Phil. 4. 11. [Page 93] state we are there with to be content, knowing both how to be abased, and to abound: e­very Phil 4. [...]2. where, and in all things be­ing instructed, both to bee full, and to bee hungry, both to a­bound, and to suffer need.

Because godlinesse with con­tentment 1 Tim. 6. 6. is great gaine: for we brought nothing into this world 7. and it is certaine wee can carry nothing ou [...].

—Having therefore food and 8. rayment, let us bee therewith content.

That our conversation may Heb. 13. 5. bee without covetousnesse: be­ing content with such things as wee have. For thou hast sayd, thou wilt never leave us, nor for­sake us.

—Casting all our care upon thee, 1 Pet. 5. 7. for thou carest for us.

What? shall we receive good Iob. 2. 10. the hands of the Lord, and not evill?

—Take no thought for your Math. 6. 25. [Page 94] life, what ye shall eate, or what ye shall drinke, nor yet for your body what you shall put on.

—the foules of the ayre, they Math. 6. 26. sow not, neither doe they reape, nor gather into barnes, yet your heavenly father feedeth them.

Which of you by taking 2 [...]. thought, can adde one cubite un­to his stature.

Consider the Lillies of the 27. field, how they grow: they toyle not, neither doe they spin.

—If God so cloathe the grasse 30. of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more cloathe you, O ye of little faith, take no thought, saying, what 31. shall we eate, or what shall we drinke, or where withall shall we be cloathed?

—Your heavenly father know­eth 32. that you have neede of all these things.

—give me neither poverty nor Prov. 30. [...]. [Page 95] riches; feed me with food con­venient for me,

Lest I be full and deny thee, Prov. 30. 9. and say, who is the Lord? or lest I be poore and steale, and take the name of my God in vaine.

PATIENCE under the CROSSE.

Helpe us to deny our selves, Luk. 9. 23. and to take up our Crosse daily and follow our Saviour.

Thou hast fore-told us, that Ioh. 16. 33▪ in the world we shall have tri­bulation.—And that through Act. 14. 2 [...]. much tribulation we must enter into the Kingdome of God.

Let us therefore reckon with Rom. 8. 1 [...]. our selves that the sufferings of this present time, are not wor­thy to be compared with the glory which shall bee revealed in us.

—That it may be given unto us, Phil. 1. 29. in the behalfe of Christ, not on­ly to beleeve on him, but also to suffer for his sake.

[Page 96]Let us run with patience the Heb 12. 1. way that is set before us.

Looking unto Iesus the au­thor 2. and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse.

Consider him that endured 3. such contradiction of sinners a­gainst himselfe, lest you be wea­ried and faint in your mindes.

Thinke it not strange concer­ning 1 Pet. 4. 12. the fiery triall which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.

Rejoyce in as much as yee are 13 partakers of Christs sufferings, that when his glory shall be re­vealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

If ye be reproched for the 14. name of Christ, happy are ye, for the spirit of glory, and of God resteth upon you.

GODS VVORD.

Let thy word be a lampe un­to [...] 119. 105 my feet: and a light unto our path.

[Page 97]O make it unto us a word of Psal. 16. 7. power, converting the soule, quicke and powerfull, and shar­per than any two edged sword, Heb. 4. 12. piercing even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit, and of the joynts and marrow.

Give us the hearing eare, and Pro 20. 12. the seeing eye▪make thy word Ier. 23. 29. like fire, and like a hammer that breaketh the rockes in pieces.

—and as the raine commeth Isai. 55. 10. downe, and the snow from hea­ven, and returneth not thither but watereth the earth, and ma­keth it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the ea [...]er: so let 11. thy word bee, that goeth forth out of thy mouth, let it not re­turne unto thee void, but ac­complish that which thou plea­sest, and prosper in the thing whither thou sendest it.

Lord give the Preacher the Isai. 50. 4. tongue of the learned, that hee [Page 98] may know how to speake a word in season to him that is weary, and create the fruit of his lips peace—and let the worke of the Lord prosper in Isai. 53. 10. his hand.

They shall be abundantly sa­tisfied Psal. 36. 8. with the fatnesse of thy house, and thou shalt make them drinke of thy pleasures.

For with thee is the fountain 9. of life; in thy light shall we see light.

We will goe into his taber­nacles; Psal. 132. 7. we will worship at his foot stoole.

Open thou mine eyes, that I Psa. 119. 18 may behold wondrous things out of thy Law.

In the way of thy judge­ments, Isai. 26. 8. O Lord, have I waited for thee, the desire of our soule is to thy name, and to the re­membrance of thee.

Come let us goe up to the Mic. 4. 2. mountaine of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Iacob, [Page 99] and hee will teach us of his wayes, and we will walke in his paths.

—thine eares shall heare a word Isai. 30. 21. behind thee, saying, this is the way, walke in it.

Blessed is the man whom Psal. 65. 4. thou chusest, and causest to ap­proch unto thee, that hee may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodnesse of thy house, euen of thy holy Temple.

And in this mountaine shall Isai. 25. 6. the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. Vid. vers. 7. 8.

Even them will I bring to [...]. 7. my holy mountaine and make them joyfull in my house of prayer; their burnt offrings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine Altar: for mine house shall bee called a house [Page 100] of prayer unto all people.

SACRAMENTS in Speciall. [...]

—let a man examine himselfe 1 Cor. 11. 28. and so let him eate of that bread, and drinke of that cup—

—my father giveth you the loh. 6. 32. true bread from heaven, for the 35. bread of God is he which com­meth 36. downe from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 37.

As the Hart panteth after the Psal. 42. 1. water-brookes, so panteth my soule after thee O God.

O God thou art my God, Psal. 63. 2. early will I seeke thee, my soule thirsteth for thee, my flesh lon­geth for thee in a dry and thir­stie land, where no water is.

—what shall I render unto the Psa. 126. 12. 13. Lord for all his benefits towards me? I will take the cup of sal­vation, and call upon the name of the Lord—

Personall Concernments, and speciall employments in our particular calling:

Lord be thou with mee, and Gen. 28. 20. keepe mee in this way that I goe, and give me bread to eate, and rayment to put on, so that I may come againe to my fathers house in peace.

O Lord God I pray thee send 21. mee good speed this day, and shew kindnesse unto

God Almighty give you 43. 14. mercie before the man, that he may

And thou who preservest the Prov. 2. 8. way of thy Saints hold up my Psal. 17. 5. goings in thy paths that my foote steps slip not

Give thine Angels charge Psal. 91. 11 over us, to keepe us in all our 12. wayes: that they may beare us up in their handes lest at any time we dash our foot.

O be thou with us, and keepe Gen. 28 15. [Page 102] us in all places whither we goe, and bring us againe, and leave us not untill thou hast done that which thou hast spoken to us of.

O that thou wouldst blesse 1 Chr. 4. 10. mee indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might bee with me, and that thou wouldest keepe me from evill that it may not grieve me.

Prosper now I pray thee thy Neh. 1. 11. servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of the man.—and let the beauty of the Lord Psal. 90. 17. our God bee upon us, and esta­blish thou the worke of our hands upon us: yea the worke of our hands establish thou it.

We know not what to doe, 2 Chr. 20. 12 but our eyes are upon thee—thou also must worke all our Isai. 26. 12. workes in us.

It is in vaine for us to rise up Psal. 127. 2. early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrowes.

O Lord I know that the way Ier. 10. 23. [Page 103] of man is not in himselfe: it is not in man that walketh to di­rect his steps

—neither is hee that plan­teth 1 Cor. 2. 3. any thing, neither hee that watereth, but God that giveth the increase.

Deliverance from Evill. 1. Of SINNE.

Let not sinne raigne in our Rom. 6. 12. mortall bodies, that wee should obey it in the lusts thereof.

—neither suffer us to yeeld 12. our members as instruments of unrighteousnesse unto sinne: but unto God as those that are aliue from the deast, and our mem­bers as instruments of righte­ousnesse unto God,—

—looking diligently, lest any Heb. 12. 15. man faile of the grace of God, lest any root of bitternesse springing up trouble us, and thereby we be deluded.

—that being now made free Rom. 6. 22. [Page 104] from sinne, and become the ser­vants of God, wee may have our fruit unto holinesse, and the end everlasting life.

But I see another law in my Rom 7 23. members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing mee into captivity to the law of Sinne which is in my mem­bers.

O wretched man that I am, 24 who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

—Cleanse thou mee from se­cret Psal. 19. 12. faults. Keepe backe thy ser­vant also from presumptuous sinnes, let them not have domi­nion over me: then shall I bee upright, and I shall be innocent 13. from the great transgression.

Subdue the pride of our na­ture, 2 Cor. 10. 5. cast downe every imagina­tion, and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against thee, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

[Page 105]Let not my heart be haughty Ps. 131. 1. 2. nor my eyes lofty, neither suffer me to exercise my selfe in great matters or in things too high for me, but behave and quiet my selfe as a child that is weaned by his mother—

—Order my steps in thy word, Psa. 119 33 and let none in [...]quity have donion over me—

—make me also to be upright Psal. 8. 23. before thee, and to keepe my selfe from mine in [...]quity.

Let us lay aside every weight, Heb. 12. 1 2. and the sinne that doth so easily beset us, that we may run with patience the race that is set be­fore us—

—that we may not love the 1 Ioh. 2 15. 16. world, nor the things in the world, because all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world.

—that denying ungodlines and Tit. 2. 12. worldly lusts, wee may live so­berly, [Page 106] righteously, and godly in this present world—

That we may walke circum­spectly Eph. 5. 15. not as fooles but as wise—giving none occasion to 1 Tim. 5. 14. the adversary to speake re­proachfully.

—Mortifying our members Col. 3. 5. which are on the earth fornica­tion, uncleannesse, the inordi­nate affection, evill concupis­cence, and covetousnesse which is idolatry

—Putting off all these, anger, Col. 3. 8. wrath, malice, blasphemie, filthy communication—

—That wee may resist unto Heb. 12. 4. blood, striving against sinne, ta­king Heb. 3. 12. heed lest there bee in any of us an evill heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God

—taking heed to our selves, Luke 21. 34. lest at any time our hearts bee over-charged with suffering and drunkennesse, and cares of this life—

[Page 107]That wee may bee sober and 1 Pet. 5. 8. vigilant, because our adversary the devill, as a roaring Lyon, walketh about, seeking whom hee may devoure, whom that wee may resist, stedfast in the Eph. 6. 11. faith, let us take unto us the whole armour of God, that we may bee able to stand against all his wiles, being strong in the 10. Lord, and in the power of his might.

2. PVNISHMENT.

Let no evill befall us, neither Psal 91. 10. let any plague come nigh our dwelling,

Send from heaven and save Psal. 57 [...]. mee from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. My soule is among Lyons, and I lye even among them that are set on fire; even the sonnes of men, whose teeth are speares, and ar­rowes, 4. and their tongue a sharpe sword.

Plead my cause O Lord, with Psal. 35. 1. [Page 108] them that strive with me, fight thou against them that fight a­gainst me—

Have mercy upon me O Lord, Psal. 6. 2. for I am weake, O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed—My soule also is sore vexed, &c. 3 4.

Returne O Lord, deliver my soule: O save me for thy mer­cies sake

For in death there is no re­membrance 5. of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thankes

I am weary with my groa­ning, 6. all the night make I my bed to swimme: I water my couch with my teares

Mine eye is consumed be­cause 7. of griefe, it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.

Turne thee unto mee, and Psal 25. 16. have mercie upon me, for I am desolate and afflicted. The 17. troubles of my heart are enlar­ged; O bring thou me out of my 18. distresses. Looke upon mine af­fliction [Page 109] and my paine, and for­give all my sinnes.

O my Father if it be possible Mat. 26. 39 let this affliction passe from me; neverthelesse not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Lord make mee to know Psal. 39. 4. mine end, and the measure of my dayes, what it is: that I may know how fraile I am. Be­hold 5. thou hast made my dayes as an hand-breadth, and mine age is as nothing before thee: verely every man at his best state is altogether vanity.

So teach us to number our Psal. 90. 12. dayes, that wee may apply our hearts unto wisedome.

The HOLY CATHOLIKE Intercessi­on, or the Prayer of Charity. CHVRCH of IESVS CHRIST.

Preserve that little flocke to Luke 12. 32. whom thou hast promised, and reserved the Kingdome.

Be unto it a wall of fire, round Zech. 2. 5. about.

[Page 110]Let thy delight be to Mount Isai. 49. 16. Sion, grave her on the palmes of thy hands, let her walls bee continually before thee: Let her builders make haste, and 17. cause her destroyers, and such as would lay her wast to depart from her—

Feed them that oppresse her 26. with their owne flesh, and make them drunken with their owne blood, as with sweet wine—

Looke downe from heaven, Isal. 63. 15. and behold from the habitation of thy holinesse, and of thy glory: where is thy zeale and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels; and of thy mercies towards me? are they restray­ned?

Doubelesse thou art our fa­ther, 16. though Abraham be ig­norant of us, and Israel acknow­ledgeth us not; thou O Lord art our father, our Redeemer, thy name is from everlasting. [Page 111] Awake, awake, put on strength, Isai. 51. 9. O arme of the Lord, awake as in the ancient dayes, in the gene­rations of old: Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the Dragon? thou art King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Shew thy marveilous loving Psal. 17. 7. kindnesse, O thou that savest by thy right hand, those which put their trust in thee, from those that rise up against them, &c—

Awake, why sleepest thou O Psa. 44. 23. 24. 25. 26 Lord? arise cast us not off for ever. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affli­ction, and oppression?

Let them all be confounded, Ps. 129. 5. 6. and turned backe that hate Zion, &c. Let their flesh consume a­way while they stand upon their feete, and their eyes con­sume away in their holes, and their tongues consume away in their mouth, Ezek. 11. 16. Isay 40. 11.

[Page 112]Blesse every member of the Catholike Church in what place, in what case soever; wo­men with child, blesse them with safe deliverie, make them joyfull mothers of children—young children blesse them, with religious education; Sea­farring men, blesse them with prosperous navigation; Hus­bandmen, blesse thou them with plentifull harvests and en­crease; Captives, blesse thou with enlargement; Prisoners with repentance and amend­ment. M. Valent.

VNCALLED.

Raise up the Tabernacle of Amos 9. 11. & 5. 15. David that is falne, and close up the breaches thereof, and bee gracious to the remnant of Io­seph—

—that the Day-spring from Lukh 1. 78. on high, may visite, and give light, to them that sit in darke­nesse and in the shadow of [Page 113] death, to guide their feete into 79. the way of peace—

Those other sheepe which Ioh. 10. 16. thou hast, which are not yet of thy folde, them also doe thou bring in, and make them to heare thy voyce—

A a shepherd seeketh out his Eze. 34. 12. flocke in the day that hee is a­mong his sheepe that are scatte­red: so will I seeke out my sheepe, and will deliver them out of all places where they have beene scattered in the cloudy and darke day.

And I will bring them out 13. from the people, and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountaines of Israell by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the countrey— vid. Ezek. 37. 21. 22.

I will surely assemble, O Ia­cob, Mich. 2. 12. all of thee, I will surely ga­ther the remnant of Israell, I [Page 114] will put them together as the sheepe of Bozrah, as the flocke in the middest of their fold: they shall make great noise, by reason of the multitude of men.

CALLED.

Keepe them as the apple of Deu. 32. 10. 1 Pet. 5. 8. an eye—though Satan like a roaring Lyon goe about seeking whom hee may devoure: yet Psal. 31. 8. give them not over unto the will of their enemie, but upon Isai. 4. 5. all the glory let there bee thy defence.

Lord blesse this land, com­passe Psal. 5. 12. it with thy favour, as with a shield.—Lord doe thou keep Isai. 27. 3. it, and water it every moment▪ lest any hurt it, keepe thou it night and day.

The KINGS most excellent Majestie.

Let the soule of my Lord be 2 Sam. 25. 19 bound in the bundle of life with [Page 115] thee, and the soules of his ene­mies, them cast out as from the middle of a sling—

Make his seed to endure for Psal. 89. 29. ever, and his throne as the daies of heaven—

Prolong the Kings life, and Psal. 61. 6. his yeares, as many genera­tions; and that hee may abide 7. with thee for ever, O prepare mercy, and truth, which may preserve him!

Our renowned and gracious Lam. 4. 20. Soveraigne, the breath of our nostrils, the annoynted of the Psal. 21. 6. Lord, let his house, and throne be established for ever, and set him as blessings unto his people.

Keepe him as the apple of Psa. 17. 8. thine eye, hide him under thē shadow of thy wings

From the wicked that op­presse 9. him, from his deadly ene­mies that compasse him about.

His seed doe thou establish Psal. 89. 4. for ever and build up his throne to a [...] generations

[Page 116]Let his seed endure for ever; Ps. 89. 36. and his throane as the Sunne before thee—give him a long life, a prosperous raigne, that none of all the Kings may bee like him.

—His enemies cloath with Ps. 132. 18. shame, but on himselfe let his Crowne flourish—Let his glo­ry bee great in thy salvation—crowne him with outward bles­sings, with inward graces

—with long life satisfie thou Ps. 91. 16. him, and shew him thy salva­tion—give him riches and glo­ry, that none of the Kings may be like him.

As thou hast annoynted him 2 Sam. 7. 8. to bee ruler of thy people, so give him a wise and understan­ding 1 Kin. 3. 12. heart, to goe out and come in, before this great people, that 7. he may governe over them in­thy 2 Sam. 23. 3. feare, serving thee with a 1 Chr. 2 [...]. 9. willing mind.

Bee thou unto him a father, 2 Sam. 7. 14. and make him unto the [...] thy [Page 89] sonne—Blesse also thy servants house, and let it be established before thee—make a covenant with him as thou didst with David—let the Angell of the Lord pitch round about him—let 26. not the sonnes of wicked­nesse approach neere to hurt him.

Blesse his Counsell with wisedome, his Iudges with in­tegrity, his Magistrates with courage, his people with obedi­ence, his Armies with victorie, his raigne with peace—M. Val.

The LORDS of the Privie Councell.

Enforme thon his Councel­lers Ps. 105. 22. after thy will, and teach his Senators wisedome▪ that judge­ment Amos 5. 24. may runne downe as wa­ters; and righteousnesse as a mighty streame——that they Isa. 30. 2. may aske at thy mouth that counsell which they shall mi­ster unto their Soveraigne [Page 118] —that they may bee to us in Num. 10. 31 stead of eyes—filled with the Exod. 31. 3. spirit of God in wisedome.

—As they be famous in the con­gregation Num. 16. 2. and men of renowne, so they may be as Gods know­ing good and evill.

—that all the counsell which 2 Sam. 16. 23 they counsell, may bee as if a man should enquire at the Ora­cle of God.

MAGISTRACIE.

And that judgement may not Amos. 6. 12. be turned into gall, nor the fruit of righteousnesse into hem­locke, give courage to our ru­lers, that they may execute justice truely in the gates— 1 Tim. 2. 2. that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty.—

MINISTERIE.

And thou who art the Lord Math. 2. 38. of the harvest send our labou­rers into thy harvest, that those [Page 119] which are ordained to eternall Acts 13. 48. life may be saved—

—and let the worke of the Isai. 53. 10. Lord, prosper in their hand—The Chariots of Israel and the horse-men thereof—

Let thy Thummim, and thy Deut. 33. 8 Urime be with thy holy one——who observe thy word, and 9. 10. keepe thy Covenant—that they may teach Iaeob thy judge­ments, and Israel thy Law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine Altar.

Blesse Lord their substance, 11. and accept the worke of their hands, smite through the loines of them that rise against them, and of them that hate them that they rise not againe.

—Make them like Iohn, bur­ning Ioh. 5. 35. and shining lights—that they may bee holinesse to the Lord—

Whom thou hast set as watch-men over thy people, [Page 120] make them instant in season, and out of season—that they may give warning from thee——that they may cry aloud and Isai. 58. 1. not spare, lifting up their voyce like a trumpet, and shew thy people their transgressions.

COMMONALTIE.

Blesse all Israel from Dan to 2 San. 17. 11 Beershebah, make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowles of heaven: breake the bow and the sword, and the battell out of Hos. 2. 18. the earth, and make them to lye downe safely—

For the AFFLICTED.

And thou Lord who givest Isai. 10. 29. power to the faint, and to them that have no might encreasest Psal. 41. 3. strength, comfort them that lie upon beds of languishing, make all their beds in their sicknesse—for unto thee Lord, belong the Psa. 68 20. issues from death—

[Page 121]Behold the teares of such as Eccles. 4. 1. are oppressed and have no com­forter.

Lord remember them that Heb. 13. 2. are in bonds, that are tryed in Isai. 48. 10. the furnace of affliction.

Bind up the breach of thy Isai. 30. 26. people, heale the stroke of their wound.

Let the sighing of the priso­ners Psal. 79. 11. come before thee; accor­ding to the greatnesse of thy power, preserve thou those that are appoynted to dye.

—Bee thou a strength to the Isai. 25. 4. poore, a strength to the needy in their distresse, a refuge from the storme, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the ter­rible Ones is a storme against the wall.

—His place of defence shall bee 33. 16. the munition of rockes, bread shall be given him, his waters shall be sure—

THANKS GIVING for Blessings Spirituall and Eternall.

And now our God we thanke 1 Chr. 29. 13 thee, and praise thy glorious name, for blessing us with all Eph. 1. 3. spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ, for delivering us Col. 1. 3. from the power of darknesse, and translating us into the King­dome of thy deare Sonne.

Blessed be God even the Fa­ther 2 Cor. 1. 3. of our Lord Iesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, who when we were sometimes aliens, and Col. 1. 21. enemies in our mind by wicked workes, and were by nature, the Eph. 2. 4. children of wrath, as well as o­thers, 1. out of his rich mercy, for 2. the great love where with hee loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, and sinnes, and Col. 2. 13. the uncircumcision of our flesh hath quickned us. together with Christ, having forgiven us all [Page 123] trespasses, Blotting out the hand­writing 14. of Ordinances that was against us, which was contrary unto us, and tooke it out of the way, nayling it to his Crosse.

Blessed bee thy glorious Nehe. 9. 5. Name, which is exalted above all blessing, and praise; for great Psal. 86. 12. is thy mercie towards us, and thou hast delivered our soule from the lowest hell—and hast Col. 1. 12. made us meet to bee partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light.

3. For TEMPORALL blessings, of Creation and Providence.

I thanke thee Father, Lord Mat. 11. 25. of heaven and earth, that—

Blesse the Lord, O my soule, Ps. 103. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. and all that is within mee blesse his holy name, &c.

For thou art he that tookest Psal. 22. 9. me out of the wombe; thou 10. didst make me hope, when I was upon my mothers breasts— [Page 124] I was cast upon thee from the wombe; thou art my God from my mothers belly.

—We have beene borne by Isai. 46. 3. thee from the belly, and are car­ried from the wombe—And e­ven 4. to our old age be thou hee, and even to hoarie haires doe thou carry us—

—Thou hast covered me in Psa. 139. 13 my mothers wombe,

—I will praise thee, for I am 14. fearefully and wonderfully made marveilous are thy workes, and that my soule knoweth right well.

How precious are thy Psa. 139. 17 thoughts unto me O God? how great is the summe of them? If 18. I should count them they are moe in number than the sand—

Thy hands have made me, and Psa. 119. 73 fashioned me—

I am not worthy of the least Gen. 32. 10. of all thy mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shew­ed nuto thy servant.

[Page 125]Thus will I blesse thee while Psal. 63. 4. I live, I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soule shall be sa­tisfied 5. as with marrow and fat­nesse, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyfull lips, when I 6. remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. &c—

I know Lord that thy judge­ments Psa. 119 75. are right, and that thou in faithfulnesse hast afflicted me.

Before I was afflicted I went 67. astry, but now I have kept thy word—

O Lord my God I cryed un­to Psal. 30. 2. thee, and thou hast healed me; O Lord thou hast brought 3. up my soule from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not goe downe to the pit, &c.

Thou hast delivered mee in Iob 5. 19. sixe troubles, yea in seven, there hath no evill touched me, &c.

There hath no evill befallen [Page 126] me, neither hath any plague come neere my dwelling—

—Thou hast delivered my Psal. 116. 8. soule from death, my eyes from teares, and my feete from fal­ling—

—What shall I render unto the 12. Lord, for all his benefits to­wards me? I will take the cup 13. of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.

Thou hast extended peace Isai. 68. 12. unto us like a river, and prospe­rity like a flowing streame; we drinke waters out of our owne Wells.

Thou hast strengthened the Psa 147. 13. 14. barres of our gates, and blessed our children within us &c.—

Thou hast given us bread to Gen. 28. 10. eate and rayment to put on, yea our bread like Ashurs is fat, and Gen. 49. 20. wee have pleasures which even Ps. 147. 20. Kings doe want.

Thou hast not dealt so with Ps. 107. 21. any nation—O that men would praise the Lord for his good­nesse; [Page 127] and for his wonderfull Ps. 147. 20. workes to the children of men!

MEDITATIONS for the Morning.

My soule waiteth on thee, O Psa. 130. 6. Lord, more than the morning watch, watcheth for the mor­ning. O God be mercifull unto me, and blesse me, and cause thy 67. 1. upon [Page 129] face to shine upon me: O fill me Psa. 90. 14 with thy mercie this morning so shall I rejoyce and bee glad all my dayes.

O God thou art my God ear­will 63. 1. I seeke thee: my soule thirsteth for thee, my flesh lon­geth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no wattr is.

O Sunne of righteousnesse shine upon me—

My voyce shalt thou heare in 5. 3. the morning O Lord, in the mor­ning will I direct my prayer un­to thee, and will looke up.

Unto thee have I cryed O 88 13. Lord, and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.

Awake, thou that sleepest, Ephe. 5. 14. and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

The night is past, the day is at Rom. 13. 11. 12 hand—

—worke while it is called day, Iohn 9. 4. the night commeth when no man can worke.

MEDITATIONS for the Evening.

Thou knowest my downe sit­ting, Psal. 139. 2. and mine up rising thou un­derstandest my thought a farre off.

Thou compassest my path, and 3. my lying downe, and art ac­quainted with all my wayes.

Let my prayer be set forth 141. 2. before thee as incense, and the lifting up of my hands, as the evening Sacrifice.

Let teares run downe like a Lam. 2. 18. river, day and night, give thy selfe no rest: let not the Apple of thine eye cease: Arise, cry out in the night, in the begin­ning of the watches powre out 19. thy heart like water before the face of the Lord, lift up thy hands towards him.

Lighten mine eyes, that I sleepe not in death—

He that keepeth Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth—

[Page 131]—the day is thine, the night Psa. 74. 16. also is thine—

—the darknesse hideth not 139. 12. from thee, but the night shineth as the day, the darknesse and the light to thee are both alike.

I will lay me downe in peace Psal. 4. 8. take my rest, &c.

—when thou liest downe thou Prov. 3. 24. shalt not bee afraid, yea thou shalt lie &c.

MEDITATIONS for thee as thou goest in­to Bed.

—Think with thy selfe, that—

1 Thou art one day neerer end, than thou wert in the mor­ning.

2 Consider what thou hast seene, heard, or read that day, worth the remembring: and make use thereof.

3 Seriously examine thy selfe what Sinne thou hast com­mitted, what duty thou hast o­mitted, how thou hast failed, [Page 132] and lament them, on thy knees, begging pardon in thy Saviours Name.

4 Consider that many goe well to bed, and never rise a­gaine till the day of Iudgement, therefore say, Father into thy hands I commend my spirit.

5 Let thy stripping thee na­ked, put thee in mind of thy death, thy bed, of thy grave, thy coverings of the moulds, and wormes of the earth: thy sheets of thy winding sheete, thy sleepe of thy death, thy waking of thy resurrection.

In the night when thou awa­kest, say,

With my soule have I desi­red Isai. 26. 9. thee in the night, yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early.

Thus will I blesse thee while Psal. 63. 4. I live, I will lift up my hands in thy name; my soule shall be sa­tisfied 5. as with marrow, and fat­nesse, [Page 133] and my mouth shall praise Psal. 63. 5. thee with joyfull lips—when I remember thee upon my bed, 6. and meditate on thee in the night watches.

MEDITATIONS for the Lords day in the Mor­ning.

It is a good thing, to give Psal. 92. 1. thankes, unto thee, O Lord, and to sing praises to thy name, O thou most high: to shew forth 2. thy loving kindnesse in the mor­ning, and thy faithfulnesse every night.

This is the day which the Lord hath made, wee will re­joyce, and be glad in it.

Blessed is the man that doth Isai. 56. 2. thi [...], and the Sonne of man that layeth hold on it, that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hands from do­ing any evill:

—they that be planted in the Psal. 92. 13. house of the Lord, shall flourish [Page 134] in the courts of our God: they Psa. 92. 14. shall still bring forth fruit in old age, they shall bee fat and flourishing.

As thou goest to the Church meditate thus—

One thing have I desired of Psal. 27. 4. the Lord, that I will seeke after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his tem­ple.

My soule longeth, yea even 84. 2. fainteth for the courts of the Lord, my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God.

At the Church thinke with thy selfe that—

The place where thou stan­dest Exod. 3. 5. is Holy ground—none o­ther Gen. 28. 17. but the house of God—

How amiable are thy Taber­nacles Ps. 84. 14. O Lord of Hoasts!

Blessed are they that dwell in 4. [Page 135] thy house, they will bee still praysing thee.

For a day in thy court, is bet­ter 10. than a thousand:

I had rather be a doore-kee­per 11. in the house of my God, then dwell in the tents of wic­kednesse.

They that joyne themselves Isai. 56. 6. to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to bee his servants: every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant—Even them will I bring to my holy mountaine, 7. and make them joyfull in my house of prayer.

—the like course thou mayest take in other places of Scripture which thou mayest make use of for all kinde of meditations, at home, abroad, in field, towne, journeyes, &c—

Matter for Graces before meat.

O Lord our God, the onely [Page 136] giver of all good gifts, thou feedest the young ravens when they cry—they have their meat of God—

—the eyes of all waite upon thee—thou openest thy hand, and fillest with thy blessing e­very living thing—thou lovedst us before we were, thou hast kept us from our birth—supply all our wants, sanctifie all thy dealings towards us, and let thy blessing be on the food which we are now to receive—Speake a word of blessing to it from heaven, that it may nourish and strengthen us—comfort and do us good—let us taste and see how gracious the Lord is—let us feele the sweetnesse of that love, with which thou hast lo­ved us in Christ—man liveth not by bread alone—'tis by thy word of blessing, not our meates alone, that wee are nourished and preserved—

—which satisfiest our mouth [Page 137] with good things—thou shalt eate and blesse the name of the Lord thy God—Let not these creatures turne to the hurt of our souls, which thou hast given us for good of our bodies,—I am not worthy of the least morsell of thy good creatures, unwor­thy of the crums which fall un­der thy table.—Let not our ta­ble Graces. become a snare unto us—breake not the staffe of our bread—curse not unto us any blessing—

Good Lord forgive us all our 1. sinnes, and blesse at this time these good creatures to our nou­rishment, through Iesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.

O Lord it is not by bread a­lone 2. that man lives, it is thy blessing upon the creatures that they sustaine us. O draw up our hearts and eyes to heaven, to ac­knowledge thy providence in them; to praise thy goodnesse for them, that we may receive [Page 138] them as pledges of thy favour, and gracious assurances of thine everlasting love, through Iesus, &c—

Matter for Graces after meate.

Blessed bee thy name for health, life, strength, and for all the blessings of this, and the blessed hopes of a better life—make it our meate, and drinke, to doe the will of thee our hea­uenly father—make us to hun­ger after that bread which en­dureth to everlasting life—

—Provide dayly bread for all thy poore servants, till thou bring us to that place where we shall never hunger, nor thirst a­ny more—thy loving kindnesse is better than life—

—that I may labour not so much for this meat that perish­eth, but for that meate which endureth to everlasting life—the body and bloud of our Savi­our [Page 139] which is meate indeed, and drinke indeed.—Keepe us in thy feare while we live on earth and afterward receive us to glo­ry in thy kingdome—

We thanke thee O Lord, for the comfortable use of these good blessings, we beseech thee also feed our soules to everla­sting life, with the meate that perisheth not, through Iesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Blessed bee thy name O Lord God, for thus opening thy hand, and filling us at this time with thy good creatures, vouchsafe still to be our God, with-hold no good thing from our soule, or body. Save all thy Church, protect our King, Queene, Prince, Royall Progeny and Realme; Grant free passage to to thy Gospel, comfort to thy Servants, and peace of consci­ence to us all, through Iesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

An EPITOME of a Christians Conversation and Religious course of life, gathered out of some Godly Practicall Di­vines &c.

Every day bestow halfe an 1. Daily. houre in reading the Scriptures, and Prayer: Gods word, will not onely shew thee what to do, what to pray, but will worke a secret power to accomplish the same—

Appoint and set a part some time once every day, seriously and solemnely to cast up the eye of thy Faith, on that never-fa­ding crowne of life, which af­ter an inch of time shall for ever rest upon thy head. The com­forts hereof will make a man live almost without a soule, and sweeten all the troubles of this life—

Set one houre in the weeke 2. Weekely. a part ( Saturday in the afternone [Page 141] is more fit, by reason of the approching day, to consider of, search, and try thy wayes: this will snub and keepe downe, the weeds of corruptions, from o­verspreading thy soule. Thou bestowed an houre on thy body every day, in dressing it, and loo­kest thy selfe in a glasse to attire thy outward sheath, and wilt thou not once a weeke doe as much for thy soule? thy body must one day rot and turne to dust, perhaps to morrow: thy soule must live ever either in weale or woe: Life and death, are now in thy choyse—chuse then that good part—

—Give God the honour of thy In particu­lar for thy Thoughts. thoughts, as well as of thy words and actions: often thinke how all the glistering shewes of this whole world must and doe va­nish and moulder into vanity, and nothing—very smoke.

As soone as thou hast broken of sleepe, set God before thee [Page 142] and thinke— What shall I doe? what course shall I take, that I may bring glory to God, that I may not sinne, this day,—O that my wayes were so directed——Never speake the evill which Words. thou too certainely knowest by others, but with fearefulnesse, (as it were) and some kinde of enforcement, being sure thou hast a calling to it, and then doe it

• seasonably,
• charitably,
• discreetly,

and not in

• humour,
• spleene,
• imperiousnesse

Tis the humor of Hypocritts to be supercilious and censorious: but for

• Gods glory.
• thy owne discharge.

—use no moe wordes against m [...]ns sinnes, than thou wilt make prayers for their soules in secret.

Be bold, yet wise in speaking for Christ, and with height of [Page 143] resolution, goe through all the disgraces that the sinfull times, lay in the wayes of God. In Actions

• civil—Doe as thou
• wouldst be done to.
• religious, Strive to

live by faith: because faith is the soule of all our actions, our pray­ers will bee cold unlesse this warme them.

—Take heed of falling from thy first love.

—Serve not God for by-re­spects, but onely for himselfe.

—So long as thou art unfeined­ly displeased with, and sorry for, all thy sinnes, and dost mortifie the deedes of thy body by the spirit, thy cafe is the state of sal­vation.

Let thy whole conversation favour of the Lord.

Bee alwayes bemoaning thy spirituall pride, knowne hypo­crisie, covetousnesse, perf [...]cto­rinesse and formality in Gods service.

[Page 144]Give not way to a heartlesse neglect of the use of Gods holy ordinances, reading, prayer, fa­sting, private humiliation; for this is the fore-runner to some fearefull sinne, or fiery temptati­on, to some heavie judgement, or dangerous apostasie.

Seeke not thy selfe in any of thy actions.

Looke to thy repentance, that it bee sincere, universall, con­stant, from the heart root, for all sinne.

Incorporate thy selfe into the Company. Communion of Saints, be inti­mate onely with them: such an holy and humble majesty is in their carriage, such a deale of heaven is in their countenances, such spirituall ravishments is in their hearts, such grace and pow­erful piercings in their speeches, such zeale and hearty melting is in their prayers, that they can­not but worke upon thy heart, if thou converse with them.

[Page 145]Looke well to thy carriage, that thou leave not an ill savour behinde thee in any company. Wait for occasions to doe good, Act. 26. 28. In bad company give them apparent signes of thy dislike: Unlesse you give some kinde of reall, or verball re­proofe, they will be hardned.

Often withdraw your selfe Solitari­nesse. apart, imparting unto God your griefes, wants, desires. Walke with God on the top of Mount Tabor once a day— Prayer in Prayer. secret will bee unto thee an un­speakeable comfort, a testimony that thou art not left to thy selfe, if words will not come, sigh, God heares the sighing of his servants: if thou canst not sigh, breath, God hath an care for that, thou hast heard my voyce, hide not thine eare at my breathing, at my cry.—yea Lam. 3. 56. speake with thy countenance, be humbled for thy unfitnesse, dulnesse—&c. Then wee pray [Page 146] most happily, when wee arise M. Harris. from prayer most humbled. After prayer thou shalt carry thy selfe in thy vocation with much more zeale, and standing thus upright with God, thou wilt not feare the world, thou shalt have rest and peace within, what ever stirres bee without.

—Have a speciall eve to a sin­cere, constant and fruitfull per­formance of holy duties, take heed of customarinesse and For­mality, which cuts out the heart and drawes the very life-blood from them.

—Strive by all meanes for at­tainment of what thou prayest for, by all occasions, helpes and heavenly offers.

Be diligent in thy personall Vocation and particu­lar calling. employments, and take heed of idlenesse.

2 Have an eye to Gods glo­ry in all thy undertakings.

3 Goe about earthly busi­nes, with an heavenly mind.

[Page 147]4 Let not any unrighteous gaine entice thee to sinne, or be­lime thee.

5 Set not thy delight on any earthly thing, for nothing brings true content to the soule but God.

Delight thy selfe in him, this will both purifie thy heart and assure it before God.

In thy carnall delight there are or may be losse of crosses in curses for them.

They are broken cisternes—

In the end of every day, aske thy selfe

• What have I done?
  Evening.
• What have I done amisse?
• What have I left undone?

Thus summe up thy accounts, and make all streight twixt▪ For more so­lemne [...]u [...]i­ [...] and preparation [...] the [...]a­ [...], &c. God and thee.

Keepe a Catalogue of all thy g [...] knowne sinnes, nor [Page 148] balking any, but dealing true­ly with thy selfe, and then fal­ling downe on thy knees dis­burden thy conscience of them by humble confession to God, carrying this thy owne indite­ment and spreading it before the Lord and pleading guilty, drag thy sinfull lusts to the crosse of thy Saviour, and there crucifie them. 2 Pray for a soft and ten­der heart, as for life; Lord thou hast promised to take out the heart of stone—to give an heart of flesh—3 Get the particular promises, which thou desirest to have fulfilled to thy soule without booke, yea into thy heart as well as thy head. Mr. Byfield.

M ^r. GEORGE FLETCHER, in Christs victory and triumph— pag. 50.

Mr. QVARLES Historie of SAMPSON.

1. For the Sacrament of the LORDS Supper.

WOnderfull art thou, O Lord, in all thy works to­wards the sons of men, but more especially, wonderfull in that great worke of our redemption, by the death of thy Son; Hadst thou left us to have perished, in that estate of damnation, into which wee, desperately had im­plunged our selves, by the wil­full disobedience of our first parents, it had beene but just with thee so to have done: for wee were the clay, thou wast our Potter, and we all are the work of thine owne hands; and hadst thou taken no delight in us, to doe us good, thou migh­test easily have made us disho­nourable vessels of thy wrath, as well as thou didst the Angels [Page 152] which kept not their first e­state, but left their owne habi­tation, whom thou hast reser­ved in everlasting chaines, under darkenesse, under the judge­ment of the great day. But thou, in love to our soules, woul­dest not that wee should perish, and therefore out of thine own incomprehensible wisedome, foundest out a meanes of ra­soming and redeeming man from hell, by causing thine own sonne (God equall for ever with thy blessed selfe) to bee made sinne for us, that so wee might bee made the righteous­nesse of God in him: who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree; and the more to confirme us in the assured hope of everlasting salvation, which he once purchased for us, by his bloody passion, did insti­tute for his Church the blessed Sacrament of his body and blood, in which I see him againe [Page 153] crucified, and freshly bleeding before mine eyes in the out­ward elements of bread and wine, which he hath appointed to bee often celebrated in re­membrance of him.

Blessed bee thy holy name therefore; my daily sinnes have made mee unworthy of daily bread, much more of this bread of life; yet seeing thou callest and invitest mee at this time to the Supper of the Lambe to eate of that Manna that came down from heaven, to partake of those divine mysteries. O let not mee suffer my selfe to bee needlesly detained from so blessed a feast, by any pretended occasions whatsoever (as those did that made excuses and set light by their invitation to the marriage of the Kings sonne, Math. 22. 5.) left thou sweare in thy wrath that I shall never taste of thy Supper, nor enter into that rest, which my Saviour is [Page 154] gone to prepare for thy belo­ved ones,

For if those in the law that did neglect to eate the Passeo­ver, and to worship at Hierusa­lem at the times appoynted, were to bee cut off from the number of thy people: of how much sorer punishment shall I bee worthy, if I refuse to par­take in thy blessed Sacrament, and neglect so great salvation which thou tenderest unto mee hereby? O therefore make me to come as a guest invited, com­ming prepared unto thy table, having on my wedding gar­ment, because thou thy selfe, the great master of this feast, art present in the assembly, eying and observing thy guests. Let mee therefore first wash my hands in innocencie, my heart from wickednesse, and so com­passe thine Altar O Lord: that seeing Christ my Passeover is sacrificed for mee, I may purge [Page 155] out the old leaven, and become a new lumpe, keeping this feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, feeding on him with the sowre herbes of godly sorrow, and unfained re­pentance for all my former sins: O make the very remembrance of them to be grievous, and the burthen of them intollerable unto mee. O wash mee Lord, wash mee, not onely the feete, but even the hands also, and the head; for I am uncleane, I am uncleane, a very Leper, a sinke of sinne, whom thou mighest shut out of the congregation of thy people for ever; but yet O Lord if thou wilt, thou canst make mee cleane; Thy blood (O sweet Iesus) is able to cleanse more throughly than the wa­ters of Iordan did Naomans leprosie, and to wash away all my pollutions, and make my E­thiopian skin, my leopards spots to be white as snow in Salmon. [Page 156] Now the good Lord pardon me, and every one, that prepa­reth himselfe to seeke thee in the truth of his heart, though wee bee not cleansed and prepa­red according to that exact pu­rification of thy Sanctuary. O Lord make me to search and try my wayes, to looke backe upon all the ungodly actions and aber­rations of my fore-past life, to view my sinne-deformed soule in the cleare glasse of thy unde­filed [...]aw, that so I may judge and abhorre my selfe in dust and ashes, and bee still more vile in mine owne esteeme: make me to examine my selfe, and so eate of that bread and drinke of that cup knowing that if I eate and drinke thereof unworthily, I eate and drinke damnation to my selfe, because I discerne not the Lords body. Teach mee to try my selfe whether I be in the faith or no, for without faith it is impossible to please thee in [Page 157] any service. Tis my faith in the death of my Saviour that is the hand and mouth by which I must apply him, and make him mine in this Sacrament. Assure me by these broad seales an­nexed to the covenant of grace, and letters patents of thy holy word, that thou wilt make good what thou hast promised, that as thou hast called, Ho, every one that thirsteth come to the wa­ters;—so thou wilt refresh this my gasping and thirsting soule; as thou callest all that be weary and heavie laden to come unto thee; so thou wilt in no wise send mee empty away that cast my selfe into the bleeding armes of my dying Saviour.

Perswade my unbeleeving and doubting heart, that as thy Minister taketh, and blesseth, and breaketh, and poureth out, and giveth, and saith, Take and eate, the bread, take and drinke the wine of the Sacrament; so [Page 158] thou from everlasting hast sepa­rated, consecrated, and ordained Iesus Christ to be a Sacrifice for my sinnes, hast poured out his blood to be a satisfaction to thy offended justice for my sinfull soule, and that hereby I shall continue in communion with him, my head, and his mysticall body my fellow members. Thy flesh, O sweet Saviour, is meate indeed, and thy blood is drinke indeed. O let me I beseeth thee find it so in my fainting soule that I may bee ravished with thy love, that I may taste and see how gracious the Lord is, and find thy free promises, and pledges of thy grace to bee better than wine, sweeter also than the honey and the honey combe. Let thy holy spirit set to his privie seale on my heart inwardly, by the secret and sweet refreshment of his bles­sed testimonie, that I am my well beloveds, and my well be­loved [Page 159] is mine—establishing my heart in thy love, and knitting my soule unto thee for ever. O draw me, and I shall run after thee, shew me the light of thy countenance and I shall bee sa­ved.

And Lord make mee to love my brethren, as thou hast loved me, yea to love my very ene­mies for thy names sake, recon­ciling my selfe to those whom I have offended, following peace with all men, and forgi­ving Mat. 18. 23. them their hundred pence, 28. as thou hast freely forgiven me my ten thousand talents—Vouchsafe me this, aud all other graces which may fit mee for thy service in thy kingdome of grace, and prepare mee for the enjoyment of everlasting glo­ry, through my Lord and Savi­our Iesus Christ.

Amen.

After the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.

O Lord, what shall I render unto thee, for all the bene­fits which thou hast bestowed upon mee, and daily ladest mee withall, a most unworthy sin­ner? how shall I bee sufficiently thankefull unto thee for them, when they bee more than I can reckon up unto thee, more then my heart is able to conceive or comprehend? Should I offer up unto thee, thousands of rams, or ten thousand rivers of oyle, they all would come farre short of thy most free, eternall, unde­served, infinite love. Lebanon it selfe is not sufficient for wood, nor the beasts upon a thousand hils for a burnt offering. What shall I then doe unto thee, O thou Preserver of men, or what recompence shall I make thee? [Page 161] I will even take the cup of sal­vation, and give thankes to thy name, O Lord. I will offer up my soule and body for a holy, living and acceptable sacrifice unto thee; this will please thee better than▪ bullocke that hath hornes and hoofes.—

Thou O Lord in the begin­ning, didst make mee to bee, when I was not before; and when I had lost my selfe, and forfeited my being, and life, and happinesse, didst in Christ, restore mee to a more blessed estate, than at my Primitive in­tegrity. Thou thy selfe art be­come my Father, thy sonne my Saviour, thy holy Spirit my Sanctifier, thy word my Instru­ctor, thy Sacraments the food to refresh, satisfie, and feed my poore hungry soule to everla­sting life.

This day thou hast called me to thy holy Mountaine, and made me joyfull in thy house of [Page 162] prayer, this day hast thou invited me to sit downe at thy table, and made unto mee a feast of fat things full of marrow, a feast of wines on the lees well refi­ned; thou hast abundantly satis­fied me with the f [...]nesse of thy house, and hast made mee to drinke of the river of thy plea­sures. Blessed bee thy glorious name for ever and ever, which is above all thankesgiving and prayse of mine! O that I could bee indeed thankefull unto thee as thou art gracious unto me! If I should open my mouth ne­ver so wide thou wouldest fill it, thy favours to my poore soule are more than all tongues of men and Angels can worthi­ly magnifie. And now O Lord accept, I beseech thee, the free will-offering of thy servant, that desires to feare thy name, and to make a covenant with thee never to bee broken, that my soule shall cleave close unto [Page 163] thee, and avouch thee this day to bee my God and Saviour for ever more. Here I doe resigne myselfe, soule and body, all that is in me, and all that belongs un­to me, to bee wholly thine, and that I will never wickedly de­part from thee, my God, as I have done. O that my wayes were so directed, that I might keepe thy commandements al­way!

Never let mee with the dis­gorged dog, returne any more to my former vomit; nor with the washed sow to wallow in the mire: but as I have now washed my feete, so suffer mee no more againe to defile them: as I have put off the filthy rags of my old conversation, so I may never againe put them on, but become a new creature. That seeing the expiation of my sins cost my Saviour so deare, as the shedding of his precious blood, and that thy wrath lay so heavie [Page 164] upon him who was our suretie onely, being innocent in him­selfe; I may hence conceive how heinous a thing sinne is, how abhorred by thee, and so hate it in my selfe with a per­fect hatred, and resist it even to blood; and not crucifie againe hereby, the Lord of life and glory.

O make mee thankefully to remember that bitter passion of his, and thy love ( O Father) un­to mee, in that thou hast accep­ted mee to life in him, and hast brought salvation this day home to my house, to my heart. Lord enter in, abide with, and dwell in my soule for ever. Take not thy holy spirit from mee, make mee one with Christ my head, flesh of his flesh, bone of his bone; make mee one with the mysticall body of thine E­lect, that I may have my part in the prayers of the Church, in the Communion of Saints, here [Page 165] on earth, in the kingdome of grace, and may enjoy thee, and them, face to face, and sit downe and eat and drinke with thee, in thy kingdome of glory.

Amen.

For the Sacrament of Baptisme.

O Lord our God, the great, the mighty, and the terri­ble God, who keepest covenant and mercy with all them that feare thy name, and trust upon thee, even to a thousand genera­tions, thou hast promised to bee our God, and the God of our seed, to enter into covenant with us, that wee should bee thine; O Lord I come to thy throne of grace at this time, to lay claime to my interest in that new covenant, sealed unto thy Church in the blood of Iesus, that thou wouldst performe the same unto mee, and mine al­so: hast not thou said, thou wilt [Page 166] circumcise mine heart and the heart of my seed, to love the Deut. 30. 6. Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soule?—that thou wilt put thy Law in our inward parts, and write it in our hearts, and that thou wilt bee our God, and wee shall bee thy Ier. 31. 34. people, that thou wilt forgive our injquity, and wilt remem­ber our sinne no more? O Lord hast thou said it, and wilt not thou also doe it? By faith I plead my interest thereunto, not for my selfe alone, but for mine al­so, with whom I beseech thee to make an everlasting covenant of life and peace, that being bap­tized into Iesus Christ, they may bee sanctified and cleansed with the washing of water by the word. O Lord wee are all borne the children of wrath, and there is no way for us to escape the damnation of hell, except wee bee borne againe of water and of the Spirit. O [Page 167] Lord doe thou sprinkle cleane water upon us, wash away the filth of Zion, and purge the blood of Ierusalem from the midst thereof: Baptize us with the Holy Ghost, that ha­ving our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience, and our bo­dies washed with pure water, wee may bee new creatures, fit to bee an habitation of God through the spirit.

O blessed be thy goodnesse for ever, which hast given us this seale of thy rich promise; this is that Arke in and through which thou savest thine Elect: thou dalliest not with us herein, it is no idle ceremonie; thou art present in thy own ordinance to fulfill that which thou hast pro­mised. O wash our soules with the baptisme of Repentance, as thou doest our bodies with the outward element of water. Let the vertue of Christs death kill sinne in us, for how shall wee [Page 168] that are buried with Christ by baptisme, and thereby dead to sinne, live yet therein? Doe not wee herein vow to forsake the Devill, the Pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinfull lusts of the flesh, and shal we break our vow, & trans­gresse the covenant? O let this be far from us, teach us therefore to deny ungodliness and world­ly lusts, deliver us from every evill worke that we may serve the living God; Sprinkle cleane water upon us, that we may bee cleane from our naturall filthi­nesse, and from all our unclean­nesses. Wash us, O wash us throughly from our iniquities, and cleanse us from our sinnes. Make our hearts to be stedfast in thy love, and never to forget this covenant of our God: thy mercie doe thou keepe for us, and ours for evermore, and let thy covenant stand fast with us, and bee established for ever as [Page 169] the Moone, and as a faithfull witnesse in heaven. And as thou hast thus brought us into the bond of the covenant, so let us never depart from thee. Bee thou unto us a God, and let us be thy people for evermore, even till thou bringest us unto Mount Sion, and to the Citie of the living God, the heavenly Ie­rusalem, and to an inumerable company of Angels, to the ge­nerall assembly and Church of the first borne which are writ­ten in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect: and to Iesus the Mediatour of the new covenant, and to the bloud of sprinkling, that speaketh better than that of Abel. Make me to be thine my self, be thou my Father and make me to be thy Sonne: for if the first fruit be holy, the lumpe also shall be holy; and if the roote be holy, so also shall the branches bee. This mercie [Page 170] I beg of thee in his name, me­rits, and mediation, out of whose pierced side, issued forth water and bloud, for the sancti­fying, and justifying, of thine Elect. To whom, with thee, and the Holy Spirit, be all glory, ser­vice, thanksgiving, and domi­nion, through all the Churches of the Saints, for ever,

Amen.

For Regeneration, Sanctifica­tion, and grace to serve God.

O Lord, thou God of truth, who hast sworne in thy faithfulnesse, that as thou livest thou hast no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that hee should turne from his way and live: and therefore com­mandest thy people, saying, Turne ye, turne ye from your e­vill Ezek. 33. 11. wayes, for why will ye dye, O house of Israel? and hast enjoy­ned, that I should wash me, and [Page 171] make me cleane, & put away the evill of my doings from before thine eyes: promising moreover, that though my sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as Snow, though they bee red like crim­son, they shall be as wooll: I that am a wicked and miserable caitiffe, a sinner before the Lord exceedingly, even as the men of Sodome, that have done abominable workes, and denied the God that is above, wilfully sinning after I had received the knowledge of the truth, and treading under foote the Sonne of God, counting the bloud of Heb. 10. 26. 29. the covenant, wherewith I was sanctified an unholy thing, and having done de [...]pi [...]e to the spi­rit of grace; O Lord, even out of the deepes doe I call unto thee for helpe, yea out of the belly of hell doe I earnestly cry for thy mercie: O cast not out my prayer. Though mine ini­quities be more than the haires [Page 172] of my head & my transgressions heavier than the sand, yet is there forgivenesse with thee: and al­though my sinnes have reached up to heaven, yet thy mercie is above the heavens: mine are, at the most, but the sinnes of a man: but thine, at the least, are the mercies of an infinite God, yea thou hast the relenting bowells of a most tender Fa­ther.

O spread the robe of thy Sonnes righteousnesse over me, that so thou mayest not behold my nakednesse, cloath me with▪ the garments of his salvation, say unto my soule, Live: cause breath to enter into my dry E [...]. 37. 3. 6. bones, lay sinewes upon them, and bring flesh upon them, and cover them with skinne, that I may know that thou art the Lord. And albeit I be dead in trespasses and sinnes, yet open my grave and cause me to come out of it: yea though with La­zarus [Page 173] I stinke already, yet roll away the stone, and speake thou by thy all-powerfull word, and I shall come forth and live. O purge my conscience from dead workes, redeeme mee from death, ransome me from power of the grave: and though I be lesse than the least of all Saints, lesse than the least of all thy mercies, yet make me a priso­ner of hope, and by the bloud of thy covenant send forth my soule, out of the pit wherein is no water. Wash my robes and make them white in the bloud of the Lambe: Create in me a cleane heart O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Make thy word to be unto me, like a refiners fire, and like fullers sope, cleansing me from all fil­thinesse of flesh and spirit, that so I may be meete to be a parta­ker of the inheritance of the Saints in light, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, [Page 174] but holy and without blemish, the sonne of thy love, through Christ.

Thou hast promised that if I Pro. 8. 17. returne unto thee, thou wilt re­ceive me, and that if I seek thee early, I shall finde thee, that thou wilt have mercie upon me, and wilt abundantly pardon all my sinnes, heale my backe­slidings, and love me freely. O Lord, it is not sinne in the highest degree, when it is out of mea­sure sinfull, and is come to the full, that can hinder the Sunne of righteousnesse from arising, with healing in his wings, on any humbled soule: no, for where Sinne abounded, Grace doth much more superabound: and where shall, or can the skill of thee, our heavenly Physician, be so much seene, so much ado­red, and magnified, as in healing a poore soule, weltring and wal­lowing in its bloud, and despe­rately wounded unto everlasting [Page 175] death? O speake thou the word and my soule shall live. Subdue mine iniquities, and cast all my sinnes into the depths of the Sea.

O redeeme me from my for­mer vaine conversation, that I may renounce the hidden things of dishonesty: turne thou mee and I shall be turned, betroth my soule unto thee in faithful­nesse, make with me a covenant of peace. And because no man can come to thee, except the fa­ther which sent thee draw him; O draw me; and I will run af­ter thee; open my blinde eyes, say Epphata to my deafe eares, touch my lips with a coale from thy Altar, that my iniquity may bee taken away, and my sinne purged, then shall my lame feet leape as an Hart, and my dumbe tongue shall sing forth thy praise.

A new heart doe thou also Eze. 36. 27. give me, and a new spirit doe [Page 176] thou put within me, and take away the stony heart out of the Eze. 36. 27 midst of me, and bestow upon me an heart of flesh: and put thy spirit within mee (as thou hast promised) and cause me to walke in thy statutes, and to keepe thy judgements and doe them. And for the time to come, Lord make me more zea­lous of thy glory, more profita­ble in wayes of my calling, more carefull to doe and receive all possible good that I can. Alas I have beene a barren tree, thou hast planted mee neere the ri­vers of water, hast digged a­bout me, and taken much paines with me, but I am still unfruit­full, thy glory is not so deare un­to me as it ought to be; nor is my owne salvation, or the edi­fication of others, so sincerely indevoured by me, as was meet.

O turne me into another man, circumcise the foreskinne of my heart, let the time past of my [Page 177] life suffice to have served, and live in sinne. Give mee grace now in this my day, to know the things that belong to my peace, to make use of this time of my visitation, to lay hold on eternall life, to take the king­dome of heaven by violence: now thou standest at the doore and knockest, O let me open un­to thee, that thou mayest enter in, and sup with me. Give mee grace to worke out my salvati­on with feare and trembling, to bee often in calling upon thee in prayer, and lifting mine eyes up to the hills from whence both pardon of sinne, and power over sinne must bee expected. Make mee often search and trye my wayes, and examine my selfe, whether I be in the faith or no. Now I beseech thee to heare me, and helpe me; doe away the iniquity of thy servant, cover my transgressions, and let my sinnes bee blotted out from be­fore [Page 178] thee, for the Lord Iesus Christs sake.

For the English Colonies and Plantations in New-Eng­land, Virginia, &c.

O Most high God, Possessor Gen. 14. 19. Deut. 10 14 Isai. 63. 15. of heaven and earth, the heaven, and the heaven of hea­vens, is the habitation of thy Psal. 90. 2. holinesse and of thy glory; by thee the Mountaines were 115. 16. brought forth, and thou hast formed the earth, and the would, and hast given it to the children of men for a possession; And by thy word of blessing Gen. 9. 7. hast commanded man, to en­crease and multiply, and reple­nish the face of the earth: We in this nation have found thy gracious Providence over us, in [Page 179] thy continuall protection and preservation; for thou hast Psa. 147. 13 strengthned the bars of our gates, and blessed our children within us, thou hast set peace in our borders, and hast abun­dantly 14. given us blessings of the Gen. 49. 25. brest, and of the wombe: inso­much that wee are exceedingly 2 Kin. 6. 1 multiplyed, so that the place where wee dwell is too narrow for us, for our seed is become as Isai. 48. 19. the sand, and the offspring of our bowels, as the gravell there­of: And now O Lord, thou of Num. 14. 7. thy good providence, hast espi­ed out for us, an exceeding good land, watred with the dew of Gen. 27. 39. heaven from above, blessed with the farnesse of the earth Psal. 80. 9. from beneath, and hast made roome for us to bee planted therein, that wee who are Deut. 4. 7. growne into so great a nation, and are thronged at home, may swarme out, and bee gathered thither, for the glory of thy [Page 180] great name, the honour of this Kingdome, and the further en­largement of our Kings domi­nions. O let their designe be Exod. 28. 36 holinesse to the Lord, honour and wealth to our nation, and enlargement also to the king­dome of thy Christ, who are transplanted into those remoter parts of the world. Build a 2 Sam. 7. 10. 1 Chr. 28. 2. place of rest for thy tabernacle among them, that the heathen that have not knowne thee, and the families that have not called Ier. 10. 25. on thy name, may by this meanes bee delivered from the power of darkenesse, and tran­slated Coll. 1. 13. into the kingdome of thy deare sonne. Bee thou a wall of Zech. 2. 5. fire round about our people, and a little Sanctuary unto them: Let Eze. 11. 16. no sonne of wickednesse ap­proach Psa. 89. 22. neere, to hurt them, build them up into a nation; there plant them, and make Deut. 33. 28 2 Sam 20. 1. them to dwell in safety: Let no seditious Sheba be author of [Page 181] faction or schisme among them

And as thou causest the Sun to arise upon all the earth, so that nothing is hid from the heate thereof, so le [...] there bee no speech, nor language, where the voyce of thy Gospell is not heard. Let thy way be knowne upon earth, and thy saving health among all nations: cause the Sunne of righteousnesse to arise with healing in his wings, upon all those that sit in darkenesse, and the shadow of death, to guide their feete into the way of peace: Give thy sonne Iesus the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his posses­sion. Make all the Kings of the earth to fall downe before him, and all nations to doe him reve­rence. That his dominion may bee from Sea even to Sea, and from the rivers even to the ends of the earth. That Tarshish, Pul, and Lud that draw the [Page 182] bow, Tuball, and Iavan, and the Iles afarre off, that have not heard thy [...]ame, neither have seene thy glory, may be brought into the houshold of faith, and be joyned to the people of the God of Abraham, and so bee made one folde under that great shepheard and Bishop of their soules.

Those sinners of the Gen­tiles, O Lord draw them out of the darkenesse of Paganisme, Idolatrie, ignorance, and su­perstition; and though they now bee wallowing in their blood, yet let it bee the time of love with thee, and say unto them live: spread thy skirt, over them. Let the light of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ shine unto them, that they may turne from the service of dumb Idols, yea, of very Devils, to thee the living God. Teach them to know thee the onely true God, and whom thou hast [Page 183] sent Iesus Christ; open the doore of faith unto them that they may beleeve in the name of thy Sonne; grant them repentance unto life, that they may be saved; light up among them, some bur­ning and shining lamps, to beare thy name among them, that the grace of God which bringeth salvation, may appeare unto all men: that so they which are without Christ, being aliens from the Common wealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of Promise, that have no hope, and are without God in the world, may heare the voyce of the Sonne of God, and live.

To this end, plant thy grace, and feare, in their hearts, who are of that Colonie and Planta­tion: make them wise to win those poore soules, by their un­blameable conversation, being zealous for thee, gentle towards them, apt to teach them, patient▪ [Page 184] in meeknesse instructing them, if God peradventure will give them repentance to the ac­knowledging of the truth, and that they may recover them­selves out of the snare of the Devill, who are taken captive by him at his will.

O Lord this is a worthy worke, and who is sufficient for these things! therefore doe thou make bare thine owne al­mighty arme, bring in the ful­nesse of the Gentiles, give them where Satans throne is, an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and eares to heare the word of thy grace; that the ends of the earth may see the salvation of God, and they that dwell in the uttermost parts thereof may be converted unto thee: then shall the earth bee filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea, and they shall feare the name of the Lord from the West, and his [Page 185] glory from the rising of the Sunne.

Amen.

A Prayer to bee prepared against Death, &c.

O Thou eternall, immortall, invisible, and onely wise God, who stretchedst forth the heavens, and laidst the founda­tions of the earth, and formedst the spirit of man within him; thou art the former of al things, thy spirit did at the first make mee, and the breath of the Al­mighty hath given mee life: thou hast clothed mee with skin and flesh, and fenced mee with bones and s [...]ewes, my substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curi­ously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth: thine eyes did see mee when I was yet un­perfect, and in thy booke all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, [Page 186] when as yet there was none of them before. And thou Lord tookest me out of the wombe, thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mothers breasts, thou hast fed me, and led me all my life long unto this day: when I have passed through the waters, thou hast beene with me, and through the rivers, they have not overflowed me; thou hast carryed mee on Eagles wings, and in the time of trou­ble hast preserved me safely un­der thy feathers, and there hath not one haire of mine head fal­len to the ground, without thy Providence?

But what man is hee that li­veth, and shall not see death? our dayes on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abi­ding; we spend our yeares as a tale that is told: our life is even as a Vapour that appeares for a little time, th [...]n vanisheth away: wee build our house as a moth, [Page 187] and as a booth that the Keeper maketh. We have here no con­tinuing Citie, all flesh is grasse, and all the goodlinesse thereof as the flower of grasse. Man that is borne of a woman, is of few dayes, and full of trouble, he commeth forth like a flower and is cut downe; hee fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

O Lord my times are in thy hand, all my dayes are determi­ned, the number of my months are with thee, thou hast appoin­ted my bounds which I cannot passe, I must one day returne to the ground, for dust I am, and to dust I must returne: thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appoynted for all living, where I shall make my bed in darkenesse, and must say to cor­ruption, thou art my father, and to the wormes, thou art my mo­ther and my sisters. O that I were wise and did understand [Page 188] this! that I could consider my latter end! that whether I live, I might live unto the Lord, or whether I dye, I might dye un­to the Lord; that both living and dying I might bee the Lords! then should I use the world, as if I used it not, then would I not bee conformed to the men of this world, who have their portion in this life, whose God is their belly, who make pleasures, and honour, and riches their God, and mind only earthly things. But by that ir­reversible sentence of thine, In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death, it is ap­poynted unto all men once to dye our fathers where are they? and the Prophets, doe they live for ever? they all are gone downe into the chambers of death, there they rest together in their beds, till the heavens be no more, they shall not wake nor bee raysed out of their [Page 189] sleepe: and I my selfe also who am a sonne of Adam, and formed out of the same clay, I must (when my dayes be fulfil­led) sleepe with my fathers, and goe the way whence I shall not returne.

Truly the light is sweete, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sunne, and yet thy favour, presence, and light of thy countenance is better than life: whilest I am in the flesh, I am absent from thee, and thou hast taught mee, that the day of death is better than the day when I was borne: Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord, for they rest from their labours, and their workes follow them. And that I may dye in thee, O make me to live to thee, O teach mee so to number my dayes, that I may apply my heart unto wise­dome; that all the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrills, I may [Page 190] glorifie thee on earth, and finish that worke thou givest me to doe; because there is no worke, nor device, nor knowledge in the grave whither I am going. O make mee to passe the Eccles. 9. 10 time of my Sojourning heere in thy feare, because the night commeth, in which I cannot worke: So long as this my day lasteth, let me live as a child of the light, let my behaviour be, as becommeth holinesse, adorning the doctrine of God my Savi­our in all things, that I may praise thee my God whilest I have my being, and my conver­sation may be in heaven, even whilest I Sojourne heere on earth: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I may live by the faith of the Sonne of God, that the world may be crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For to this end, our Saviour Iesus once tasted death for every man, and humbled [Page 191] himselfe, and became obedient, even to the death of the crosse, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him, which dyed for them, and rose againe. When therefore my race is finished, and I have served out my time.

O let mee dye the death of the righteous, and let my last end, be like his! Let my soule be bound up in the bundle of life with the Lord my God, shew me the path of life, In thy presence is fulnesse of joy, at thy right hand there are plea­sures for evermore.

Pardon all my Sinnes, heale my backe-slidings love me free­ly, subdue mine iniquities, and cast all my Sinnes into the depths of the Sea. Give me peace of conscience, and joy in thee, that when dust shall re­turne againe to the earth as it was, my spirit may returne to God who gave it.

Amen.

A Prayer for a Scholler.

O Lord, thou art the Father of lights, every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and commeth downe from thee; thou hast commanded that if any lacke wisedome, he should aske it of thee; thou it is that givest to the simple sharpnesse of wit, and to the child knowledge and understanding. O give unto me thy servant, a wise and under­standing heart, and make lear­ning delightfull unto my soule, that I giving attendance unto reading, may meditate upon the things that shall be taught me, and give my selfe wholly thereunto, that so my profiting may appeare unto all. O make mee also to learne Christ, in whom are hid al the treasures of wisedome and knowledge; that [Page 193] I may grow up before thee as a plant of righteousnesse.

And because Paul may plant, and Appollos water, but it is thou alone that canst give the increase, command thy blessing from heaven that it may rest upon my studies. It will be in vaine for me to rise early, and to sit up late, unlesse it please thee to prosper mine endea­vours. O doe thou bestowe on mee knowledge and skill, in all learning and wisedome, as thou didst on Daniel and his three companions. And as Mo­ses was learned in all the wise­dome of the Aegyptians, so al­so incline mine eare to wise­dome, and apply mine heart un­to understanding, that I may say unto wisedome, thou art my Sister, and call understanding my Kinswoman: make me to seeke her, as silver, and to search for her as hidden treasures, to be instant in season, and out of sea­son, [Page 194] in labours more abundant, in watchings often, applying my heart to know, to search, and seeke out wisedome and the reason of things. O make me in the morning to sow my seed, and in the evening not to with­hold mine hand, that I may take hold of instruction and not let her goe, but keepe her, for shee is my life. Make me swift to heare, carefull to redeeme the time, wisely husbanding those opportunities I have to learne, that with all my getting I may get understanding, and may not onely learne the wisedome of heathen, and prophane Authors, but that wisedome also which is from above, and heavenly, which may give me an inheri­tance among all them that are sanctified.

Lord set thy stampe on this my pliable and waxie youth, that it may bee holinesse unto thee, season my heart with thy [Page 195] feare betimes, let me set thee al­wayes before mine eyes, that as Samuel, Iosiah, and Solomon, I may learne to know thee the Lord God of my Fathers, and serve thee with a willing mind, make me to give to thee the first fruits of my yeares, and to remember thee my creatour in the dayes of my youth, whilest the evill dayes come not, thus laying up a good foundation for the time to come.

Thou hast promised that if I seeke thee, thou wilt be found of me, but if I forsake thee, thou wilt cast me off for ever; make me therefore diligent to know the Scriptures of a child, which are able to make me wise unto salvation; let thy glory be the end, thy word the rule, thy spirit the guide, thy will the law, thy promises the comforts of my life, that thus acquainting my selfe with thee betimes, and ab­horring all prophane and Athe­isticall [Page 196] conceits of thee, thy wayes, & worship, I may by thy grace suppresse all filthy and un­holy thoughts, fancies and de­sires, & so fly the lusts of youth.

Thou hast made me to bee borne into thy Church, and hast even from my infancie received me into thy covenant, O that there were such an heart in me, that I might serve thee al­wayes! Give me patient, obe­dient, humble, dutifull, and dis­creet carriage, to all my Supiri­ours: to him especially at whose feet, as Saint Paul at Gamaliels, I now sit: make me painfull, and industrious, carefull to please him, reveren­cing his authority. Make mee affable, loving, courteous, harm­lesse, and of winning behaviour towards my Equalls and Inferi­ours, being gentle, and easie to be intreated by them all. Par­don and heale the frailties, fol­lies and infirmities of my youth, [Page 197] give me understanding to con­ceive, largenesse of heart, and capacity to apprehend; con­firme my memorie to retaine, my invention to finde out, and attaine to humane literature. Prosper all my labours, and make me wise, to understand mine owne wayes, to save mine owne soule, that I may bee a comfort to my Parents, and ho­nour to thy Gospell, an exam­ple of Learning, Pietie, and ver­tue to all my Equalls: that so I may heereafter become a pro­fitable instrument of thy glory either in the church or common wealth, as thou shalt see it best in thine heavenly wisedome, and most agreeable to mine owne disposition, that thus glo­rifying thee in my life, I may be blessed of thee in my death, and glorified for ever with thee in the world to come,

Amen.

A Prayer for a Trades-man, Merchant, &c.

O Lord, the righteous God, that triest the reines and the heart, thou lovest truth in the inward parts, and hast com­manded all those that call upon thy name to depart from iniqui­ty, and to put away lying, spea­king the truth from his heart, every man unto his neighbour, not using false weights, deceit­full ballances, or unjust mea­sures: and wouldest that no man should goe beyond, and de­fraud his brother in any matter, because that the Lord is the a­venger of all such.

O Lord, the heart of man is deceitfull above all things, and desperately wicked, and in no­thing more discovers it selfe, than in the gaine of unrighte­ousnesse. The love of money is the roote of all evill, which [Page 199] while some have coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrowes. Thus in buying, and selling, and trading with each other, so they may lade themselves with thicke clay, they care not to load their consciences with heavie Sinne. Thus it often is, as with the buy­er, so with the seller: 'Tis naught, 'tis naught, saith the buyer, but when he is gone his way he boasteth: and how ma­ny severall tricks of deceit, and sleights, there are practised by the cunning craftinesse of men that lye in waite to deceive, which the false and dissembling heart of man is guilty of, thou onely knowest, who searchest the heart, and tryest the reines, and wilt one day bring to light the hidden things of dishonesty and darknesse: so that as a naile sticketh fast betweene the joy­ning Eccles 27. 2. of stones, so doth Sinne [Page 200] sticke close betweene buying and selling.

O Lord what shall it profit me to win the whole world and to lose mine owne soule? could I rejoyce because my wealth was great, or because my hand had gotten much? If I should get my house full of silver, and gold, heaping up silver as dust, and fine gold as the mire in the streets, or prepare rayment as the clay, being filled with all precious and pleasant riches; yet thou that hatest false ballances, and the bag of deceitfull weights, canst blow upon all my substance, that it shall melt away, by thy blast it would perish; a fire not blowne should con­sume it suddenly: thou couldst make my riches to take them wings and fly away as an Eagle towards heaven, to vanish as a dreame, and not bee found, or chased away as a vision of the night. And thou hast in thy [Page 201] assured mee, that hee that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his dayes, and at his end shall bee a foole: and howsoever bread of deceit may bee sweet to a man, yet afterwards his mouth shall bee filled with gra­vell.

O let mee never be given o­ver to that reprobate mind, sup­posing that gaine i [...] godlinesse; Let mee not grind the face of my brother, or pant after the dust of the earth, on the head of the poore, making the Ephah small, and the shekell great, and falsifying the ballances by de­ceit. Never let me bee so gree­dy of gaine, that in the seeking thereof I should enlarge my de­sire as hell, or as death, that can­not be satisfied. O make me to hate and take heed of guile: Let not my soule bee poysoned with the mammon of unrighte­ousnesse, that I should by lying [Page 202] and fraud, obtrude bad wares on the men I trade withall, for hereby I should take the name of my God in vaine, and cause thy Gospell to bee evill spoken of▪ Wicked ballances and the bag of deceitfull weights are an abomination unto thee, and much better will a dry morsell be, or a dinner of greene herbes gotten by honest dealing, then a stalled Oxe by coozening and deceit: Godlinesse with con­tentment is great gaine, but they that will bee rich fall into temptation, and a snare, and in­to many foolish and hurtfull lusts, which drowne men in destruction, and perdition.

O Lord, faith and a good conscience are speciall jewels, a precious treasure: Let not mee make shipwracke of them for every trifle; how ever pro­phane and godlesse men may dis­esteeme them, they are not to bee valued with the gold of [Page 203] Ophir, with the precious Onyx or the Saphire. Let mee ever remember that golden rule, to doe unto other men as I would they should doe unto me. And if by my industry, thou doest please to blesse my estate, that my riches doe encrease, O let me not set my heart upon them, making gold my hope, or say­ing to fine gold, thou art my con­fidence; or if I shall wax poore, and fall into decay through crosses, and losses by thy hand of providence, and not by mine owne negligence, sloth, or ill husbandry, yet make mee to learne in whatsoever state I am, therewith to bee content, and may know both how to be a­based, and how to abound, to be full, and to bee hungry, which grace I beseech thee to grant me for Christ Iesus sake.

Amen.

A Servants Prayer.

MOst holy and great God, thou hast commanded servants to be obedient to them which are their masters accor­ding to the flesh, with feare and trembling, in singlenesse of heart, as unto Christ: not with eye-service as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Therefore as thy good hand of providence hath placed mee in this condition, so I beseech thee, give me thy grace, that with good will I may doe ser­vice, as to the Lord and not unto men, knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall hee receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. O teach me therefore, first to serve, and to feare thee; for thy service is perfect freedome; thus being the Lords free man, [Page 205] I shall no more be a Servant but a Sonne, and heire of God through Christ. To this end make thy face to shine upon thy servant, be thou with me in all that I doe, and let the beauty of the Lord my God be upon mee and establish thou the worke of my hands upon me, that thy blessing may be upon all that my master hath in the house, and in the field: make thou a hedge about him, and about all that he hath on every side, and blesse thou the worke of his hands, that his substance may be encreased in the Land. And as thou blessedst Laban for Iacobs sake, Potiphar for Iosephs sake, Obed Edom for the Arkes sake, Ahab for Obadiahs sake, so also I beseech thee to blesse me and all the things that are under my hand: cause thy blessing to rest in my masters house, pre­vent him daily with blessings of goodnesse, that he may learne [Page 206] by experience, that thou Lord, hast blessed him since my com­ming. O make mee a faithfull and a wise servant as Eliezer unto Abraham, that if my ma­ster commit his goods into my hand, and make me ruler over his houshold, to appoint them their worke, to give them their meate in due season, I may with all my power serve him there­in, not eating the bread of idle­nesse, nor brawling nor quarrel­ling with my fellow servants, but make me to be peaceable, gentle, easie to bee intreated. Let me not be sloathfull in bu­sinesse, or indammage my ma­ster by my neglect, but desirous to promote his good, and to please him in all things; not an­swering againe, not purloyning, but shewing all good fidelity, that I may adorne the doctrine of God my Saviour in all things.

And though my master should become a hard man, and [Page 207] should make my life bitter with sore bondage, making me serve with rigor, yea though he make me a hewer of wood, or drawer of water, or imploy me even to the basest offices, yet let not my proud heart swell and repine hereat. Grant that I may sub­mit my selfe under his hand, not onely when hee is good, and gentle, but also when he is froward, even when I am bu [...] ­feted for my faults; remem­bring my blessed Saviour, that tooke on him the forme of a servant, who though he was our Lord and Master, yet wil­lingly gave himselfe an exam­ple and patterne of all patience, and humility.

And although with One si­mus, I have beene sometimes unfaithfull and unprofitable heretofore, yet make me profi­table to my master for the time to come: that he may receive me, not now as a servant, but a­bove [Page 208] a servant: never suffer me like Iudas in a religious fa­mily, to be ungodly, to betray my master, or bewray his se­crets, nor a lying, covetous, and dissembling servant as Gehezi, nor as Ziba, slandering my ma­ster: but counting him worthy of all honour, that he being a beleever, I may not despise him because he is a brother, but ra­ther doe him service because he is faithfull and beloved, perta­ker of the benefit of thy Sons redemption. Let my behavi­our be as becommeth holinesse, grant that with patience I may beare his threatnings, chidings, revilings, because thou hast taught mee, that a soft tongue breaketh the bones. Make mee wisely to forbeare, and in my patience to possesse my soule, referring all my wrongs, and in­juries to thee, though he should not doe unto mee that which is just and equall; knowing that [Page 209] even hee also hath a Master in heaven, neither is there respect of persons with thee.

O Lord I beseech thee, let now thy eare bee attentive to the prayer of mee thy servant, who desires to feare thy name, and prosper I pray thee thy ser­vant this day, and grant me grace instantly to serve thee, that so thou who hast the hearts of all men in thy hands, as the rivers of water, maist give me favour in the sight of my master, that my worke and labour may bee accepted. O Lord I beseech thee free me from sinne, that I may become a servant of righte­ousnesse [...] alasse I have made thee too long, to serve with my sinnes, I have wearied thee with mine iniquities: pardon I pray thee all my transgressions, and enter not into judgement with thy servant, for in thy sight no flesh living shall bee justified: let mee not hence­forth [Page 208] [...] [Page 209] [...] [Page 210] serve sinne any longer, but grant that I may serve thee in holinesse, and righteousnesse all the dayes of my life. Amen. Lord Iesus

Amen.

A thankesgiving to our Sa­viour Iesus Christ.

MOst loving Lord, and bles­sed Saviour, the mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of peace and life, the rocke of my salvation, the fountaine ope­ned to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for uncleannesse, the Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world, who now art set downe at the right hand of the Majestie on high, and yet hast respect unto thy poore members here on earth. O Lord heare, O Lord forgive, O Lord accept the groanings of my humbled soule, [...]. 63 8. 63. 1. which followeth [...]a [...]d after thee, which thirsteth & longeth [Page 211] for thee in a dry, and barren land where no water is.

O my sweet Saviour, very lo­ving hast thou beene to me, thy love to me was wonderfull, pas­sing the love of women: at the which so infinit, so unconceiva­ble, unchangable, everlasting and undeserved love of thine to me a miserable sinner, the very An­gels stand amazed, desiring to prie into the mysterie of thy in­carnation, and admire to see thee (the brightnesse of thy Fathers glory, and the expresse image of his person) assuming a na­ture inferiour to theirs: who though thou wert Lord of Lords, King of Kings, the image of the invisible God, the first borne of every creature, heire appointed of all things, by whom also the worlds were made, yet tookest upon thee, the forme of a servant, and wast made in the likenesse of men, being delivered to death [Page 212] for my sinnes, and made a curse for mee. Was there ever love like this love of thine, that one should dy for his enemies? from the beginning of the world was it ever heard before, that God should become man, to save man from the wrath of God due to mans sinne? But thou art that good Shepherd that givest thy life for thy Sheepe, and thou hast loved me, and washed me from my sinnes in thy owne bloud, and delivered me from the wrath to come.

O Lord Iesus Christ, thou, thou onely art the hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble; whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee: without thee, and out of thee, there is nothing amiable, wor­thy the setting my heart up­on. Let the world love it selfe, let men be Idolaters of [Page 213] their owne concupiscences, of their goods, lives, wisedome, reputation, &c but cause thou me to forsake, and to hate all things for thee, and to count them dung, that I may winne Christ. Let my heart take no greater pleasure than to see thee glori­fied in the world, and enthro­nized in my owne soule. Thou art my portion for ever, hee whom my soule loveth, whose love to mee is better than wine, the Lord my righteousnesse. Who shall now lay any thing to the charge of thine Elect? seeing thou dost justifie, who can condemne?

I desire to know nothing but thee crucified, to love nothing more than thy sacred selfe, I desire onely to be found in thee, not having mine owne righte­ousnesse (which indeed is none) but to bee clad with the gar­ments of thy salvation. O sweet Iesus spread thy skirt o­ver [Page 214] me, for thou art my neere kinsman, true Immanuel, God with us, God for us. Never, I be­seech thee, suffer me to bee un­mindfull of, unthankfull for that wonder of all thy wondrous workes, my eternall redemp­tion, and salvation by thy preci­ous bloud.

Order my conversation a­right, to the pleasing of thee in all my desires, thoughts, words, & actions, that I may not hence­forth live to my selfe, but unto thee, which hast dyed for mee and rose againe. Guide mee Lord with thy counsell whiles I live on earth, and afterward, receive me to thy glory.

A­men.

A thankesgiving to God for his wonderfull deliverance of our King and state from the Gun-powder Treason, Novem. 5. 1605.

LOrd God Almighty, glo­rious in holinesse, working wonders alway for thy poore Church, and in the greatnesse of thine excellencie, confounding all those that are implacable ene­mies to thine elect: we the peo­ple of this land (who have, at this day, tasted and seene how gracious thou art in saving us by so great a deliverance, as the like was never heard of, since man dwelt upon the fa [...]e of the earth) doe with all humble and hearty acknowledgement, prayse and blesse [...] thy glorious name, for that admirable and strange deliverance which thou graciously vouchsafedst to our King, Prince, Nobles, and the [Page 216] whole body of this Kingdome, and state assembled together in the high-court of Parliament. How great a cause have wee to praise thee day by day, and to blesse thy name for ever & ever who hast given us such delive­rance as this? which if ever we forget, let our tongues cleave to the roofe of our mouth: Doubt­lesse unto God the Lord belong the issues from death; it was thou that saidst hither to shall yee goe and no further, here shall the proud waves of your hellish at­tempts stop themselves, O yee popish conspiratours, your mis­chiefe shall returne upon your owne head, and your violent dealing shall come downe upon your owne pate: and all that see it shall say this hath God done, for they shall perceive it was thy worke. Blessed be thy name O Lord, who hast not given us as a prey unto their teeth, that kept the proud waters from going [Page 217] over our soule, and deliveredst us from so great a death, thou hast broken the jaw-bone of those ravening Lyons, and hast plucked us as a prey out of their teeth: our soule is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler, the snare is broken and we are delivered.

Not unto us O Lord, not to us but to thy name, be the praise for ever given, that thus savedst thy people with an outstretched hand, and watchedst betwixt our enemies and us: they thought to have cut off head and tayle, branch and rush in one day, to have swallowed us up alive as the grave, and whole as those that goe downe into the pit: but themselves are salne into the pit which they digged for us: Righteous art thou O Lord God of recompences, just and true are thy judgements, who maintainedst our right and our cause, and gavest not the soule [Page 218] of thy turtle into their hands, but gavest them blood to drinke for they were worthy. Blessed be thy name, who redeemedst our life from destruction, and thus crownest us with loving kindnesse: thou satest in heaven and laughedst them to scorne, thou Lord hadst them in derisi­on, and though they cursed, yet thou didst blesse us, yea thou didst curse them, and didst blow upon them in the fire of thy wrath, and dashedst them in pieces like a Potters vessell.

They digged deepe to hide their counsell from thee, but the darkenesse [...]ideth not from thee, thou broughtest to light their workes of darkenesse, thou cau­sedst their own tongus to ma [...]e them to fall—thus when thou pleasest to worke for thy Church—a bird of the aire shall carry the voyce, and that which hath wings shall discover the matter: and in the thing where­in [Page 219] they deale proudly thou wilt bee above them. They tooke craftie counsell against thy Saints, and were mad against thy people, and sworne together against us and had their mischie­vous device not beene defeated by thee, our land had beene as Sodome, our people as Gomorrah a desolation, our Cities Golgo­tha, our fields Aceldama. Cur­sed bee their anger for it was fierce, and their wrath for it Exod. 12. Yee shall observe this thing for an ordi­nance to thee and thy sonnes for ever. Vers 24. When your children shall say unto you, What mean you b [...] th [...] service? was cruell: but blessed bee thou O Lord, who savedst us by a great deliverance, and gavest us not over to the will of our ene­mies into the hands of bruitish men, and skilfull to dust oy, more fierce then the Evening Woulues, bloody, and breathing out cruelty. This was none o­ther but the finger of God, this was thy doing O Lord, and it is marvellous in our eyes; this is the day which thou hast m [...]de to be unto us, a good day, a day [Page 220] of blessings and prayses, we will Vers. 26.—that yee shall say, It is the day of thankes­giving for—it is a day to be much ob­served unto the Lord, for delive­ring us from—. Vers. 42. rejoyce and be glad in it, yea and the children which are yet un­borne shall arise, and for it praise thy name, and tell it also unto their children, that even to per­petuall generations, we all may remember this day (as the Iewes did their feast of Purim) and keepe it throughout every ge­neration, every Family, every Province, and every Citie, that it may not faile from among the people of this land, nor the me­moriall of it perish from our seed.

Still confound all their devi­lish practises, blast their purpo­ses, infatuate their policies, as many as have evill will to Zion. Let the ravens of the valies picke out those eyes, and the young Eagles eate them, as ma­ny as rejoyce not to see thy Go­spell flourish, nor thy Saints prosper, nor the welfare of this state and Church all their dayes. [Page 221] So let all thine enemies perish O Lord! but let them that love thee bee as the Sunne when hee goeth forth in his might— Amen.

Deut. 4. 7. What nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for?

Happy art thou O Israel, Deut. 33. 20. who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy helpe, and who is the sword of thy excellencie! and thine enemies shall be found lyars un­to thee—