Touching the present afflicti­on of the Church.

1. O LORD our good God, and gracious Father, wee thy poore creatures, hum­bled before thy face, are bold to present our selves before thy holy and high majesty, although we be but dust and ashes, thou dwel­lest in inaccessible light; [Page 2] but wee by nature are plunged in darknesse: thou art a consuming fire, but we are as the chaffe: thou art soveraigne righteousnesse, and we are poore sinners, thou art the fountaine of life, and we by nature are in death.

Yet O Lord, thou hast commanded vs to call vpon thee in our necessities, with promise to heare vs, and hast given us thine owne Sonne to be our Intercessor promising vs to give us the things we shall aske in his Name, thou hast called us with an holy calling, and a­midst the thick darknes of ignorance, wherewith the [Page 3] earth is couered, thou hast enlightened us with thy knowlege, and received us into the number of thy children: yea every one of us severally hath beene sen­sible of thy particular assi­stance and fatherly succours in the whole course of his life.

But, O Lord, the greater thy favours are towards us, the guiltier are we of in­gratitude, for we have abu­sed thy graces, and thy feare hath not beene before our eyes; Wee have despised thy word, and have not re­verenced it. After the fires and massacres; whereof we are but a remnant, and as a [Page 4] firebrand pluckt out of fire, thou hast re-establisht us, and hast given us dayes of peace, and of refreshing; but we have abused our re­pose, and turned it into li­centiousnesse and loosenes. We have had more care to build againe our owne hou­ses, then to advance thine, we have run after the gaine and vanity of this world. In stead of cloathing the poore, we haue arrayed our owne bodies sumptuously. Wee have rent and torne our selves with quarrels and enmities, and are thereby become contemptible to our adversaries, our pray­ers have beene cold, our [Page 5] zeale languishing, our almes skanted, and therefore hath our iniquitie abounded, and our charity been frozen. In stead of drawing the igno­rant unto the knowledg of thee, by our good life, we have scandalized & exaspe­rated them by our evil con­versation. When we have had humane strength, and meanes, and when thou rai­sedst up among us Princes and Potentates, who see­med they would be a firme prop unto thy Church, and and an assured shelter, and place of retrait during the storme, we have leaned on the arme of flesh, in stead of relying on thee alone: O [Page 6] God, which castest downe and abatest the pride of the loftiest, and raisest up the miserable out of the dust, thou liftest up, and bring­est low the degree, therfore hast thou cast us downe, and humbled us, and hast made us know the vanitie of our thoughts contrary to thy counsells: yea even the Ministers and Preachers of thy word, have failed in their charges, and in many places evill and prophana­tion is issued and come foorth fr [...]m the Prophets, and indeed in these yeares of peace are seene the re­volts of many, which had the leading of thy flocke.

For these causes, O Lord God, thou just Iudge, thy wrath is kindled against thy people, being confoun­ded in our selves, wee ac­knowledge that thy cha­stisements are just: yea, Lord, far lesse then we have deserved, thou hast cove­red our faces with confusi­on, thou hast glutted us with bitternesse: thou hast caused us to drinke of the cup of thine anger, thou hast called us to weeping and sighing in sacke-cloath and ashes, thou hast lifted up the hand of our adver­saries, and hast exposed us unto scorne, and hast made thy hand heavie upon us, [Page 8] thou hast plucked up the plants which thou hadst planted, and beaten downe the Churches which thou hadst erected by the blood of thy Martyrs, by the preaching of thy Gospell. Thou hast broken downe the hedge of thy provi­dence, which environed thy Church, and hast expo­sed it as a prey to wilde beasts. And now Lord, we see, that in the places where thy Gospell was purely preached, even there at this day ecchoeth forth alowd forgerie, and idolatrie is a­gaine established, and the enemies of thy truth inso­lently triumph, and insult [Page 9] over the ruines of thy house.

Hereupon we have cry­ed unto thee: but thou hast turned away thy face. Thou hast covered thee with a cloud, that our prayers might not come up unto thee: and we see thy hand lifted up to smite us yet more rigorously: and the rods prepared which thou displayest in thy displea­sure, Lord God. justice be­longeth to thee, but unto us confusion of face; wee ac­knowledg in all this which is come to passe, the to­kens of thy just displea­sure, and there is no evill in the Cittie which the [Page 10] Lord hath not done.

So it is that thou art our Creator, and wee are the worke of thine hands; thou art God, & we are thy peo­ple, thou art our Redeemer, and we are thine own pur­chase, thou hast purchased us with a great price, a peo­ple whom thou hast hono­red with thy knowledge, thou art a mercifull God, and of great benignitie, slow to anger, and dost not alwayes keepe it, that ta­kest no pleasure in the de­struction of thy work. It is thy goodnesse that we have yet any being: It is of thy tender compassion that we are not utterly consumed; [Page 11] thou dweilest in the high­est heavens, and in the humblest hearts: the bro­ken and contrite spirit un­to thee is an acceptable sa­crifice.

Now then, O God, look downe from the place of thy Sanctuarie, to wit, from the heavens, heare the prayer of thy servants, and accept their humiliation, pardon Lord, pardon the iniquitie of thy children for thine owne sake, for the greater it is, by so much the more admirable is thy goodnesse in pardoning it, the greatnesse of our sinnes serveth to exalt thy mercie. and withall thou hast recei­ved [Page 12] a sufficient ransome of thine owne Sonne, and a re­demption of infinite pric [...], whereon relying we dare approch unto the throne of grace, to obtaine grace in due time.

For O God, in these an­guishes we see no meanes on earth: but our eyes are towards thee. Heare then from thy habitation, and regard, for thou art able to releeve us, thou art not a God, that art onely a God at hand, and not a God a farre off, even then when all humane meanes faile, then is it that thou display­est thy strength, and when thorough our foolishnesse [Page 13] we have procured unto our selves evils, thou usest our foolishnesse for our good, that the subsisting of thy Church might not bee a work of mans wisdom, but of thy sacred providence.

Thou it is that in all for­mer times hast succoured thy people, and drewest them forth of the iron for­nace, with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arme, and hast carried them as upon the wings of an Eagle, who even in our time hast made us sensible of thy succours by many deliverances, and who de­liveredst our fathers from many cruell persecutions, [Page 14] having caused them to passe thorow many more grie­vous tryals then this, thy tender compassions are not drawne dry, thy arme is not shortened, nor thine eare growne heavie of hea­ring: but our iniquities are they which make this sepa­tion between thee and us, which take thou away by thy mercy, and by the in­tercession of our Saviour Iesus Christ; It is thou that hast crusht the Dragon and bruised the head of that old Serpent, and who by the blood of thy Cove­nant hast drawne us out of the pit, where there was no water, having vanquish­ed [Page 15] hell by the death of thy Sonne: thou then, great God, that hast pluckt us from out the talons of the Divell, wilt thou not deli­ver us from the hands of men, thou which hast saved us from hell, wilt thou not deliver us from the power of the world?

O Eternall Lord, thou wilt do it, and wilt not for­sake us, but rather having chastised us in measure, thou wilt make us sensible of thy comforts, and wilt cause to shine upon us thy face, in ioy, and in salvation, least wee faint thorow our infirmity, and least we be overcome through the [Page 16] length and hardnesse of the temptation, for so also Lord, hast thou promised, and thy promises are cer­tain, & thy word more firm then heauen and earth, thou hast promised us by the mouth of thine own Sonne not to forsake us, and to be with us even to the end of the world, thou numberest our haires, thou receivest our sighes, thou puttest up our teares into thy bottles, he that toucheth thy chil­dren, toucheth the apple of thine eye, thou causest thine Angels to pitch their camps about them that feare thee, deare and precious is their death in thy presence.

Doe then, O God, accor­ding to thy word, and let the Angell of thy face march before us, let thy protection be round about us as a wall of fire, thou that stillest the waves of the sea, and the insurrections of the people, and which holdest the hearts of Kings in thine hands as the rivers of wa­ters, curbe the furie of the people, and give unto our King thoughts of peace, estrange farre from him the Counsels of violence, fru­strate the expectation of our enemies, who alreadie have devoured us in hope, dissipate their counsels, thou that surprisest the [Page 18] wise in their subtilties, which knowest the depths of Satan, and piercest with thine eyes into the coun­sels of the sonne of perdi­tion, whom thou wilt dis­comfite with the breath of thy mouth, and wilt beate downe all power which opposeth it selfe against thine, but if our iniquities beare witnesse against us, and make us unworthy to see so excellent a worke, do it for thine owne sake, for though we be unworthy to be heard, thou art worthy to be glorified, wherefore suffer not Satan to triumph and reioyce at the dissipa­tion of thy Church, and [Page 19] that thy holy Name is without punishment blas­phemed.

Awake then, O God, thy jealousie, and the blu­stering motions of thy fa­therly affections: unbare and tucke up the arme of thy holinesse, and let the ends of the earth see thy salvation; remember thy ancient compassions, and thy covenant with thy people; Remember the bloud of thy children spilt in abundance, which cryeth for vengeance from the earth.

We confesse indeed that we have need to be hum­bled, and that thy Church [Page 20] hath need to be purged againe, and therefore it is that thou takest the fanne into thy hand to repurge thy floore, and raisest the wind of persecution, which serveth to carry away chaffe, and to expell hypo­crites: But withall, O good God, amidst this tri­bulation the weak do faint, and the good are oppres­sed, and partake in the affliction, and Idolatrie ga­thereth strength; and the night of ignorance grow­eth thicker and thy holy Name is blasphemed, and the doctrine of salvation trampled under foot by thy adversaries.

Therefore is it, that we beseech thee, O Father of mercie, that if thou wilt afflict us, that we may not fall into the hands of men, but that we may fall into thine owne hands, for thy compassions are great: for men hate us not, for that we have offended thee, but because wee defend thy quarrell, and because thy Name is called upon by us, and renouned upon us, the blood-suckers thirst after our blood, not to ease the patient, but to satisfie their lust.

Above all things, O God and most gracious Father, continue unto us thy word, [Page 22] and afflict us rather with all other manner of affliction in this life, then to take from us that light, sith it is the testimonie of thy favor towards us, our priviledge amongst all people, and the way to come to thy king­dome, that our children may be instructed therein, and m [...]y be heires of thy Cove [...]nt after us, and that our dayes may be finished in thy favour, may be fol­lowed with an age wherin thy truth may shine forth againe, and the kingdome of thy Sonne Iesus Christ may take a great increase, and by preserving unto us this preaching of the Gos­pell [Page 23] in the purity thereof, give it efficacie in our hearts, and breake not in thy anger the strength of this spirituall bread.

Rather, Lord, make the feare of this light incite and rowse us up to make our profit thereof, and to redeeme the time, and to further and carrie us on forward in this way, whilst we have the light: and let evils wherewith thou visi­test us, be wholesome re­medies unto us, and an in­struction for our soules; and let them serve to recollect our faith, and to draw from out our hearts fervent prayers; and that the deli­verance [Page 24] which it shal please thee to graunt us, may make us know thy fatherly love towards us, which shall accompanie us the rest of our dayes, till we be re­tired out of this vale of mi­serie, to put us in possession of thy kingdome, that we may leave after us thy Church peaceable, the breaches of thy house re­paired, and thy service purely establisht, to the glory of thy great Name, and the salvation of many by thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Morning Prayer.

2. O Our good God, and gracious Fa­ther, we thy poore crea­tures present our selves be­fore thy face, acknowledg­ing that we are great sin­ners, who cease not to offend thee, in thought, word, and deed, ingratefull for thy benefits, full of diffidence and incredulitie: more affectioned to the things of this world, then unto thy service.

But there is mercie with thee, for thou lovest not the death of a sinner, but that [Page 27] he should convert and live: and hast given us thine own Sonne, that we beleeving in him, might not perish, but have life everlasting. Thou hast commanded us to call upon thee, with pro­mise to give us whatsoever we shall ask in his name.

Receive then his Passion and his obedience for satis­faction for all our sins, and in thy contemplation of his intercession be mercifull and favourable unto us, give us thy holy Spirit to touch our hearts unto true repentance, to enlighten our understanding with thy knowledge, and to warme our spirits in thy [Page 28] love, so that we may ever have thy glory for our end. thy will for our rule, thy providence for our guide, and thy promises for our comfort.

And because we are in­clined unto incredulitie and distrustfulnesse, and are as­saulted with diverse temp­tations, strengthen us in faith, and imprint in our hearts thy holy promises, giving us inwardly a lively sense and feeling of thy love, and the witnesse of our election, to the end that we may stand against all temptations, and may drive away all feares, griefes, and unprofitable sorrowes, by [Page 29] the assurance that thou lo­vest us, and art our Father in Iesus Christ our Lord.

And as it hath pleased thee to have kept us this night past, conduct us also this day, by causing to shine up­on us the brightnesse of thy face, by directing us in all our actions, so that our deeds, our words, and our thoughts may be confor­mable to thy holy will.

Blesse our studies, open our understandings, pre­serve our memories, pros­per our labours, strengthen us in our callings, wherein let us not have for our end our owne humour, but the glory of thy Name, nor our [Page 30] owne temporall profite, but the salvation of our soules.

For the effecting hereof, give us the grace to set our affections not on earthly things, but that we may acknowledge our selves pilgrims and strangers up­on earth, may use the things of this world, as though we used them not, and as ready to lose them, tending alwayes to the end of our heavenly calling, expecting with joy and assurance that last houre wherein thou wilt draw forth our soules out of these bodies, to make them partakers of thy hea­venly glory.

And seeing it hath plea­sed thee to graunt us the favour to be borne in thy Church, and hast receiued us even from our infancie into thy sacred Covenant, grant us the grace seriously to acknowledge the great­nesse of so inestimable a benefit, and to keepe even unto the end our soules un­poluted of all Idolatrie, ready to beare the oppro­brie of Iesus Christ, and to suffer for the defence of thy truth, if it shall please thee to call us thereunto.

To this end give us thy holy Spirit, which may guide us, and teach us rightly to imploy our time, [Page 32] and to husband the occasi­ons of learning, by obeying our superiours whom thou hast given us to conduct and teach us, that we may at length bring forth fruits, which may serve unto thy glorie, and may glorifie thee by our works, and by our words, both in life, and in death.

Have pittie also upon thy Church diversly tossed, de­fend it against the complots of thine enemies, and ours; repaire her breaches, give her increase in thy graces, and in the number of per­sons give us faithfull Pa­stors, whose preaching may be pure, and their life holy: [Page 33] and Princes, which may be nursing Fathers to thy Church.

Blesse and preserve our King, enrich him with Christian and Royall Ver­tues: Guide and direct the Queene, be mercifull to our kinsfolks and friends, grant both them and us grace to live in thy feare, and to die in thy favour, and to be received into thy glorie: These things we humbly intreat thee for in the pray­er which thy Sonne hath taught us.

Our Father which art in heaven, &c.

I beleeve in God, &c.

EVENING PRAYER.

3. O Lord our good God, we prostrate our selves before thy holy Majestie, offering up unto thee our evening sacrifice, in the acknowledgment of thy gracious benefits, and of the speciall care which thou hast of us thy poore creatures, thou hast kept us and led us forth this day, thou hast given us things necessarie for this present life: Be graciously pleased, O good God, to keepe us also this night, and give good repose, so that in [Page 35] our morning-wakeing wee may be sounder in bodie, and fitter for our vocation, wherein we pray thee, that thou wilt be pleased to guide and direct us by thy holy Spirit, making our la­bour fruitfull, unto thy glory, and to the edification of our neighbours, and unto our owne salvation.

Whereof be graciously pleased to give a full assu­rance, and to ingrave in our hearts the promises of thy holy Gospell, that we be­ing strengthened in saith, may overcome all tempta­tions, and finish holily and couragiously our begunne course, walking on not as [Page 36] before men, but as before thee which proovest our hearts.

And seeing that a great combat is set before us, and Satan is strong, and the world contrary; and we weak, and slow, and incli­ned unto evill, hold us up by thy succours, defend us by thy providence, sanctifie us by thy holy Spirit, and cloath us with strength from above, and let thy Word imprinted in our hearts instruct our igno­rance, correct our perversi­ty, and heat our coldnesse and negligence in thy ser­vice: give us fervent cha­rity towards our neigh­bours, [Page 37] a pure conscience, faith unfained, and fervent zeale unto the setting forth of thy glory.

Drive away from our hearts evill cares, earthly sorrowes, and unprofitable melancholies, teaching us to repose our selves upon thy providence, and to trust in thy promises, to be sor­rowfull onely for having offended thee, but comfor­ted in the assurance of thy mercies in Iesus Christ our Lord.

Give us also things ne­cessary for this present life, not according to our vaine desires, but according to thy wisdome, what may [Page 38] suffice for the following of our Callings without lett, and passe this our race with sobrietie, whilst we ad­vance on forward, towards that eternall and most hap­py life, which thy Sonne hath purchased for us.

And whilst we are in this temporall abode, grant us the favour to see the kingdome of thy Sonne advanced, and thy truth manifested, and the igno­rant, yea even our enemies to be brought to thy know­ledge: to this end give us faithfull Pastors, and Prin­ces, that may imploy their government to the esta­blishment of the kingdome [Page 39] of thy Sonne: give thy ho­ly Spirit to the king, and to the Queene, and a good wholesome Councell, for the repose and advance­ment of thy Church.

Take care of our kinsmen and friends, and give them things ne [...]dfull both for bo­dy and soule, and that our iniquities may not stay the course of thy benefits, par­don them, Lord, and blot them out by the precious bloud of thy Son, in whose Name we ask these things of thee, in the prayer he hath taught us, saying:

Our Father which art in heaven, &c.

I beleeve in God, &c. A­men.

A Prayer of Thanksgi­ving for finishing the Answer made to Mounsieur the Cardinall of Perron by Peter du Mou­lin.

4. O Lord my God and Father, I close this travell with thanks giving to thy Soveraigne Majestie: I should be un­gratefull to thy goodnesse, if I ended not my labour in [Page 41] thy praise: O God, that hast strengthened and ena­bled me. It is thou, whose strength is perfected in our weakenesse: it is thou that choosest the lowly and meane, to confound the strong, and who in the weaknesse of the instru­ments, thou imployest, dis­playest the greatnesse of thy strength: not unto us, but to thy Name give the glo­ry and the honour: for, who are we that we should be able to beare so great a burthen, and what is our strength to sustaine so great a combat? But that very Truth it self, which we de­fend, giveth strength to [Page 42] them that defend it, and thou deniest not them thy succours, that in defending thy cause have no other end but the glory of thy ho­ly Name. It's thou my God, who having been favoura­ble to me from the begin­ning of my dayes, wilt not forsake me in my old age, and wilt make it yet profi­table to the edification of thy Church, being beaten with sundrie afflictions, plucked from my flock, be­wailing the pressure of thy People, disfurnisht with all necessarie aydes for so great a worke, travelled of a sicknesse almost this two yeares, which hath brought [Page 43] me within two inches of the graue, and having in my ordinary vocation a sufficient taske to take up a whole man: yet even a­gainst all appearance I have taken in hand this great la­bour, and against my expe­ctation am come to the end thereof through thy assi­stance. I also hope, O my God, that thou wilt make fruitfull thy servants labor, to the end to draw into the right way the minds of those, who wilfully go not out of the way, and who err but thorow want of instru­ction. Against mine incli­nation I have imployed a multitude of humane testi­monies [Page 44] in this worke, for I know that thy Word alone is the rule of our faith, and receiueth not men for judg­es in thy cause: and I know well, that a word which commeth forth of thy mouth, is more worth then all the writings of all men. But we are hurried a­way with the streame, and are constrained to give place to the maladie of this age, which holding thy word suspected as a dange­rous booke, searcheth into the writings of men, wher­with to arme themselves against divine rules. Wee shew unto the advocats of errour, that they lose their [Page 45] cause, even before the Ar­bitrators whom they have chosen: but O God thou art mighty & good to bring forth an age wherein thy Word alone shalbe listened unto, and whereunto for the sole unfolding and deci­ding of doubts, thy Sonnes mouth shall onely be con­sulted withall. Grant it O God and Father of all mer­cy, and author of all conso­lation, pittie the people that stoupe and stand still in so profound darknes: cause to shine forth the bright­nesse of thy Word before the eyes of all Nations: as for me, having traverst and struck through a way ful of [Page 46] thornes, and with many in­firmities & defects, which are in me, sustained the con­tradiction of an age con­trary to thy Word, I am glad, perceiving the time to draw nigh of my repose, and my task to be so soone finished: But thou O God wilt raise up workmen, who with better successe shall labour in thy harvest, and whom thou wilt cloath with thy Spirit in greater measure, to defend thy holy Truth, Lord, it is thy cause, Lord it is for thy sake, that we are hated. Awake thy jealousie, and thine ancient compassions upon the peo­ple whom thou hast redee­med, [Page 47] that many soules may be saved, and thy holy name glorified: for, Lord, though we be worthy to be forsa­ken, and unworthy to be releeved, yet ever art thou worthy to be glorified. It is indeed a small matter that we are afflicted, were it not that amidst our affli­ctions thy truth is oppres­sed, and thy holy name blas­phemed. Attend then O God, and Father of all con­solation, and heare, and par­don for thine owne sake, thou art wise in thy coun­sels, just in thy judgements, mighty to execute thy will: but withall thou art full of tender compassion, and true [Page 48] true in thy words. Do then O Lord, according to thy promise, for thou hast pro­mised not to forsake vs, but to bee with us to the end of the world. Thou that hast redeemed us from the power of Satan by the death of thy Sonne, wilt de­liver us also from the hands of those which oppresse us: the time commeth, and is not long to, that out of the ashes of that burning, which seeme extinguisht, thou wilt cause to come forth a great brightnesse, and wilt confound the tongues of Babell, and wilt cause to fall outright the seat of the sonne of perdi­tion. [Page 49] In the meane time we will possesse our soules in patience, whilst the full measure of their iniquitie be heaped up, and we ex­pect from heaven our Lord Iesus, who will come to ex­amine our cause, and to ren­der unto every one accor­ding to his workes. A­men

A Prayer to be said going to the Communion.

5. LOrd, great God, have pitie on me a miserable sinner, and grant me grace to lay hold on my [Page 50] Saviour by true faith, and that being called to this holy and sacred banquet in the number of thy faithfull and elect, and truly repen­ting of my transgressions and sinnes, my soule may receive her spirituall nou­rishment, the true bread of life, which giveth salvation to the world: looke upon me, desiring ever to receive this holy and sacred spiri­tuall meat. Amen.

A thanksgiving after the Communion received.

6. O My Saviour and my God, I render unto thee humble thanks for the great benefit, which thou hast this day bestow­ed on me, as having thy selfe for a ransome for me; for having pluckt me out of the pawes of the Divell, and out of the depths of hell, whither so many e­normious sinnes had plun­ged me; guide me by thy Spirit, and give me grace that in overcomming the [Page 52] concupiscence of the world and the flesh, I may finish the rest of my dayes in thy feare. A­men.

A Prayer in forme of a Confession.

7. LOrd my God and Father Almightie, and most gracious to thy children, I cast downe my selfe in thy presence, ac­knowledging my selfe a poore and miserable crea­ture, guilty of high treason against thy divine Majestie, For, O my God, I came into the world tainted with [Page 54] sinne, polluted with iniqui­tie, and through my evill conversation I have tho­row the whole course of my life exceedingly aug­mented the same, I have made infinite the number of my transgressions, I have beene over unthankfull for so many blessings, wherof it hath pleased thy bounty to afford me the fruition: too often have I opposed to thy infinite goodnesse ex­treame ingratitude: by my hypocrisie and dissimulati­on I have made my selfe utterly unworthy of that freedome and faithfulnesse wherewith thou hast en­tertained me: I have beene [Page 55] deafe to thy admonitions, have stopped mine eare at thy Word, I have estran­ged my heart from thy in­structions: the feare of men hath hindred me from making free & publike pro­fession of thy Truth: I have more feared the world, then I have loved heaven: I preferred the preserva­tion of my goods, before the setting forth of thy glory; earthly repose, be­fore eternall happinesse. A­las, Lord, what punish­ments am I worthy of? What torments have I de­served? For my conscience accuseth me, my sinnes call for vengeance against me: [Page 56] and surely if the wages of the least of our sinnes be eternall death, and if it be impossible for me to num­ber my sinnes, or to con­ceive the enormiousnesse of them, how, O thou God of vengeance? how, whilst I consider my selfe in my selfe, shall I expect from thee with unspeakeable feare eternall and infinite punishments?

Yet, O gracious God, thy word teacheth us, and experience witnesseth to us, that thou wilt not the death of a sinner, but that he turne unto thee, and live: so also hast thou thy selfe found out in thine eternall [Page 57] counsell the meanes of our deliverance: and hast in the fulnesse of time sent in­to the world the eternall Sonne of thy love, thy dar­ling, even he, in whom thou art well pleased: thou hast establisht him a Savi­our and Redeemer for all those that hope in him by converting them unto thee: He was made for us wise­dome, righteousnesse, san­ctification, and redempti­on: his bloud cleanseth us from all sinne, he was de­spised to raise us unto glory: he hath taken our nature, to make us partaker of his: he was borne the Sonne of Man to make us [Page 58] the Children of God, he was full of sorrow, to fill us with happinesse; he was wounded for our sins, and bruised for our iniquities: upon him was laid the pe­naltie which brought us peace, and by his bruises are we healed: he came into the world to lead us to heaven: he died to give us life. he rose againe for our justi­fication. To conclude, Lord, thou so lovedst the world, that thou gavest that spot­lesse Lamb, to the end, that whosoever beleeveth in him, should not perish, but have life everlasting.

And seeing, O my God and Father of mercy, that [Page 59] out of thy speciall favour, it hath pleased thee in the midst of my errour, even in mine infidelitie & ingrati­tude, to take pitie on me, to give me thy knowledg, and the resolution to follow thy Gospell: seeing thou hast endued me with true faith in thy Sonne; seeing thou hast touched my heart, wherefore Lord, shall I not have accesse unto thee with confidence? Why shall I not approch with assurance to the throne of thy grace to obtaine mercy, and to be releeved by thee in due time? For though I be miserable, art not thou mercifull? If I be unrigh­teous, [Page 60] wilt thou not cloath me with the righteousnesse of my Saviour? Mine ini­quitie amazeth me, but thy goodnesse assureth me: my unworthinesse estrangeth me from thee, but the wor­thinesse of thy Sonne recal­leth me back, inviteth me, and conducteth me to thee; unto thee that art the God of my salvation, that hast redeemed my soule from death: that hast purchased me life everlasting and most happy: O my God, how great is my comfort, how excellent the joy, how precious and unspeakeable the repose, which my soule enjoyeth in the meditation [Page 61] of these things? Vnto thee onely then it is that I now addresse my selfe, as to confesse my sinnes, so al­so to acknowledge thy mercie as to condemne my selfe, so withall to find ab­solution in thy Sonne: If to be sorrowfull, and to grieve for my sinnes, so also to rejoyce, and to comfort my selfe in thy bounty, who shall lay any thing to my charge? Is it not thou which justifiest me? Who shall condemne me, seeing that Christ died for me? Seeing he is risen againe, seeing that for me he is at thy right hand, making re­quest for my salvation and quest [Page 62] conservation. Nothing O my God, shall separate me from the love thou bearest me: and seeing thou hast loved me in thy Sonne, I shall in all things be more then victorious.

But what shall I render unto thee, O Lord, unto thee, that hast delivered my soule from death, mine eyes from teares, and my feet from sliding? Vnto thee O Lord, that hast loo­sed the bands of death which compassed me a­bout? Vnto thee that hast converted and turned into joy the sorrowes of the grave, which had overta­ken me? What shall I ren­der [Page 63] unto thee O Eternall Lord, for all thy benefits conferred upon me? I will take the cup of salvation, I will call upon thy Name, I will pay my vowes before the people: I am thy ser­vant, thou hast unloosed my bands. I will sacrifice unto thee the sacrifice of thanks­giving, I will offer unto thee the fruit of my lips: I will confesse thy Name, thou hast purchased me with a price: I will glorifie thee in my body, and in my soule, I am thine, unto thee therefore will I present my selfe as a lively and holy sa­crifice, that may be pleasing and acceptable unto thee.

To this end, O my God, I crave strength from thee, & the conduct of thy Spirit: thou hast already given me a will to serve thee, pro­duce, O Lord, in me not onely the will, but withall perfect it with efficacie, and according to thy good plea­sure. Of my selfe I can do nothing to thy glorie, I perceive not the things which are of thy Spirit: all the imaginations of the thoughts of my heart are altogether continually e­vill: the wisdome, the de­sires of the flesh is enmitie against thee, It will not, it cannot be subject to thy Law: and yet by thy Spirit [Page 65] thou hast already given me the beginning of my rege­neration: Yet Lord, though I will the thing that is good, yet find I not the meanes to performe the same: I do not the good that I would, but I do the evill that I would not do. It is to thee then that I have my recourse, thou art the Author of every good gift, the fountaine of life lyeth in thee: in thy cleare light we see clearely, and from thee onely is all our sufficiencie: illuminate me by thy Spirit, that being di­rected by the same, I may render unto thee the ser­vice which I owe in the [Page 66] acknowledgment of all thy benefits.

Give me grace that to serve thee I may do no­thing but what may be ac­ceptable to thee, that I may frame my selfe, not unto mine owne fancie, but ac­cording to thy will, that I may do not what seemes good unto my selfe, but what thou approovest, that I may perform [...] not mine owne designes, but thy will, not mine owne inten­tions, but thy commande­ments, not my will, but thy Word: Graunt I may pro­pound unto my selfe for my end, not the vanitie of the world, but thy glory, [Page 67] not my reputation, but the manifestation of thy holy Name, not my establish­ment on earth, but the ad­vancement of thy truth, and of thy Church. Give me to serve thee not unwil­lingly, and by constraint, but freely and with a good heart: that I may be prick­ed forward, not by the ri­gour of Menaces, and the chastisements of thy Law, but incited by the sweet­nesse of the promises, and benefits of thy Gospell: that I may be, not possessed with the Spirit of servi­tude, but ledd by the spirit of feare and true filiall love. Remove from my under­standing [Page 68] all darknesse of er­ror and ignorance: make me know thy works, cause mee to see in the mirrour of nature, the excellent works which thou madest in six dayes, and thine ad­mirable providence in the upholding and preservati­on of all thy creatures: there appeares before our eys both thine eternal pow­er and Godhead: and there is not the least of the world, which is not a faith­full witnesse of the glory which is due to thee, by reason of thy wisdome, power, and infinite good­nesse: but Lord, give me eyes to looke into the mir­rour [Page 69] of thy Word, in which are represented most clearely unto us the myste­ries of our redemption: that in it I may see thy Sonne, that in thy Sonne I may behold thee. For, O good God, as we beseech thee that thou wouldest not looke upon us but in thy Sonne; for that in him onely thou findest us righ­teous and unblameable, so can we not behold thee but in him, because in him one­ly thou manifestest thy selfe unto us; not as a rigorous Iudge, as thou doest to the reprobate, but a gracious and mercifull Father to thy children.

Moreover Lord, in such sort inspire mee, that having beene soundly, and faithfully instructed in the knowledge of thy Truth, I may judge up­rightly of all thy counsells, of thy whole Word, of all thy actions: for seeing it hath pleased thee to lodge me in the midst of all thy creatures, and to put as it were into my hands the quiers of all thy Actions, namely thy holy Word, ought I not to avouch, that thou art just, wise, good, mightie and mercifull: and that glory is due unto thee, upon occasion of every one of thy works: and where­fore [Page 71] hast thou brought me up in the Schoole of thy Church, but to the end to forme in me a j [...]dgement, and to teach me to speake against all the reasons of men, be it that the Lord spareth, be it that he affli­cteth, be it that he blesseth, be it that he punisheth, or what ere he doth, it is eve­ry way justice, equitie, and wisedome, and his sole will is the most perfect rule of all righteousnesse.

But O my God, graunt that I may not know thee unto my condemnation: with science give me con­science: illuminate my un­derstanding, rectifie also [Page 72] my will, accompanie it with a franke affection to thy service: Graunt my heart may burn within me, let it be inflamed with the desire of thy glory, let my soule be continually ravisht with admiration: above all seeing that to save us thou hast turned our dark­nesse into light, our evils in­to good, our death into life: and us that were thine enemies, thou hast made not onely thy friends and servants, but of thy house­hold, but even thy chil­dren, without any desert of ours, notwithstanding our contrary demerits, even of thy meere free grace and [Page 73] mercy, and without sparing of thine owne Sonne.

O Lord our God, let thy Name be magnified tho­rough out all the earth: but as thy works be admirable, but as thou art mercifull in thy Church, thou hast done great things for us, thou hast wrought powerfully by thine arme, and in such sort above my capacitie, that I cannot but crie out, ô the depth of the riches of thy wisdome, and of the knowledge of God! Grant Lord, that I may not be stupid nor insensible in these things: but care that my soule may be affected with gladnesse, my heart [Page 74] with joy and solid content­ment. If the Devills and all thine enemies wonder at thy works, it is but in despight of themselves, it is but in their murmuring against thee: but have not I wherein to rejoyce? have not I cause to put farre away from me all sorrow, every vaine apprehension? seeing that I assuredly know that thou art not onely wise and mighty in thy selfe, nor good to o­thers: but wise, mighty, and good unto me, and un­to my salvation and re­demption.

Yet, O my God, that I may keepe measure in my [Page 75] mirth, beget in my heart true humilitie, which may serve to counterpoise it, so that whilst I rejoyce in thee, I may be humbled in my selfe, that I may adore in all reverence thy divine Majestie: that I may be exempt from all pride, ac­knowledging how lamen­table the poverty, and weaknesse of my condition should be, were it not, that I wholly depend on thy grace and on thy good pleasure. For it is thou that resistest the proud, and that givest grace to the lowly: it is thou that ab­horrest every man of an haughty heart: he shall not [Page 76] from hand to hand abide scotfree and unpunished: In stead whereof thy favours flow downe upon them, which come unto thee in humilitie and reverence.

Forme Lord, forthwith in my foule a true feare of thy Name, which may withold me, and keepe me from offending thee: for thou seest, thou understan­dest all things, thou art he, that wilt judge all the thoughts, words, & works of men. But why should I not feare infinitely to of­fend thee? to provoke thee by mine iniquities? thou that hast alwaies bin a most gracious and mercifull Fa­ther [Page 77] unto me, suffer not my heart to be hardened: for then should I fall into all calamity, but make me hap­pie in fearing continually. Let me feare Lord, not to out-passe the traditions of men, but the rules and in­structions of thy Word. Let me apprehend not some i­maginary punishments, but the rigour of thy just judg­ments. Let me have not the feare of the damned, and of Devils, which trem­ble with horrour; but the feare of thy children. To this end, O my God, give me thy love, to season my feare, and to warrant me from despaire. The wicked [Page 78] feare thee onely for the ap­prehension of thy punish­ments: but as for me, I wil feare thee Lord, because in my heart shall lodge thy love. Also good God, wh [...]refore shall I not love thee when I consider what heretofore thou hast done for me, that which now thou doest in me, and that which hereafter thou wilt do with me? thou hast ele­cted me before all eternity, thou hast justified me in calling me unto thy selfe in the fulnesse of time: daily thou sanctifiest me by thy Spirit, and hereafter thou wilt glorifie me in everla­sting life. I will love thee [Page 79] then with all hearty affecti­on, and wholly accursed shall I account him, that shall practice the contrary. For my Saviours sake, I will deprive my selfe of all things; I will account them all as dung: for thou hast loved me, not simply the first, or before I knew thee, but Alas! Even then when I was of the number of thine enemies. And to sum up all, art not thou Lord, the Soveraigne Good? Without thee, and out of thee is there any thing ami­able? Let the world love it selfe, let men be Idolaters of their concupiscences, of their goods, of their lives, [Page 80] and of their reputations on earth. As for me Lord, if I hate not all things for thy sake, and in case thou so re­quirest, and that it be expe­dient for thy glory, I am most assured, that I am un­worthy of thee.

I will love thee, O my God; and give me grace to put my whole trust and confidence in thee onely, and so to repose and relie upon thy goodnesse and ho­ly providence, that from thee onely almighty and most gracious, I may hope for, and expect patiently whatsoever is expedient and necessary for me. Cur­sed be the man that trusteth [Page 81] in man, that maketh flesh his arme, and whose heart withdraweth it selfe from the Lord, It is better Lord, to cleave unto thee, then to trust in the Princes of the people. Let worldlings and the reprobate live full of diffidence and distrust, let them be bereau'd of judgement in their adver­sitie, let them be daunted and forlorne in the first dif­ficultie that befalls them: let them have recourse to unlawfull meanes, and those that are forbidden by thy Word: As for me, O God of my salvation, in thee on­ly will I place my hope, that I may not be confoun­ded. [Page 82] Yea, rather thus behol­ding with a setled and fixed eye what ere shall come to passe, I shall abide stedfast as y ^e mountaine of thy holines.

But, O my God, horrid should my condemnation be, if I hoorded up in my heart the precious gift of thy knowledge: how inex­cusable my proceeding if I should boast of thy feare, of thy love, without my testi­fying thereof in my out­ward actions? I beseech thee then so to strengthen me, that I may shew forth by an holy conversation, that it is thou Lord, that sanctifiest me by thy spirit: Touch my soule, worke so [Page 83] in my heart, and in my con­science, that I may be freed from hypocrisie, that my religion may not be a cloke to vaile from men the irre­gularitie of my passions, the violence of mine affe­ctions: but that being well ordered in my mind, from thence, as out of a pu­rified fountaine may flow forth the streames of all sorts of good works, agrea­ble to thy Word, meet for thy glory; and profitable to my neighbours, befit­ting my Vocation, and unto my salvation. To this end, O Lord, I beseech thee that thou wilt be pleased to give me courage to testifie [Page 84] what I have in my heart by my outward actions, that I may glorifie thee every where and upon all occasi­ons, in making free and publike profession of thy Truth: That I may not be ashamed of thy Word: that I may not passe by thy bountie in silence, but that I may shew forth thy strength, even from thee, Lord, that hast called me out of darknesse into thy marvelous light; that with my mouth I may give unto thy works praise confor­mable to the judgment and approbation, I have alrea­dy made of them in my soule: that I may never [Page 85] cease to magnifie thee, and that my heart may take no other pleasure but to see thee glorified in the world. For if even the livelesse creatures celebrate thee, why should I thorow in­gratitude be mute in the ac­knowledgment of thy be­nefits? Wherefore Lord, hast thou given me a tong, but chiefly to serve as an instrument to blesse and praise thee? And that I may speak nothing, but what may tend to thy glo­ry? Let me not take thy Name in vaine, nor give my self to evill speaking, nor detraction: let no rotten speech go forth of my [Page 86] mouth, but let all my talke tend to edification. More­over, O Lord, give and ena­ble me to confesse, not only in prosperity, and whilst all things smile upon me ac­cording to the world, but even in the greatest adver­sity: that even in the midst of persecution, if it please thee not to exempt me from the same, I may an­swer alwayes with meek­nes and reverence every one that shall demaund of me a reason of the hope that is in me. I know Lord, that very great is my weak­nesse, but is thy hand shor­tened or lesse strong for me then for the rest of thy chil­dren? [Page 87] Is it thou that art pleased to perfect thy strength in our weaknes and infirmity? Thou wilt give me then the constan­cie and that perseverance which shall be necessary for me; that without feare, and without being trou­bled, I may be happy in suffering for righteousnes.

Give me grace also that all my actions may be void of vanity, and presumption, accompanied and seasoned with humility and reve­rence, that I may humble my selfe under thy mighty hand, that the world may see, I wholly depend on thy goodnes and mercy; that [Page 88] I hold my life, being, and all things of thee only; that thou only hast the power to do with me thy poore and miserable creature, what shall seem good unto thee.

And seeing thou hast gi­ven me to feare thee, and to love thee; give me also the strength to do what thou hast commanded me, to avoid what thou hast forbidden me, enable me to order my life according to thy commandements, thou hast given us in thy Law: As also, Lord, in that which displeaseth thee, it may be seen, that I have thy feare, and that I have thy [Page 89] love, whilst I do that which thou requirest of me. Thy feare shall estrange me from that familiarity which hath no place but amongst companions, and shall con­taine me within that re­spect which I ow unto thee, and thy love shall ex­empt me from that feare, which shall euer ceaze up­on thine enemies.

Lastly, O my God, above all the things which in all humility I desire of thee, I beseech thee that often thou wouldst often graunt the leasure and desire to call upon thee, as thou now hast done. Thou dost fami­liarly speak to me by thy [Page 90] Word, graunt that I may confidently speak to thee by my prayers: that often I may withdraw my selfe apart, that I may shut my self up in my closet, to im­part unto thee my griefs, to confesse unto thee my sinnes, to bewaile before thee my poverty, and my miserie, and to implore from thee thine assistance and thy mercy; For Lord, prayer wilbe unto me an unspeakable comfort, as an evident testimonie, that thou hast not left me to my self, that I am in the num­ber of thy children, that thou wilt blesse me, and powre forth upon me thy [Page 91] mercy; and after I have cal­led upon thee, I shall carry my self in my vocation with much more zeale: standing upright with thee I will not feare the world: having discharged my con­science in thy presence, I will march with my head born aloft: having carefully recommended my self unto thy guidance, I shall have rest in my soule, and shalbe most assured, that notwith­standing the rage and sub­tilty of all mine enemies, which are also thine, thou wilt give me to continue faithfully my life in thy feare, and end it in thy holy favour, even then when out [Page 92] of this vale of misery thou wilt receive me into thy glory unto everlasting and most happy rest.

Another Prayer.

8. O Lord, our gracious God, and almighty Father, as thou hast alwaies thy hand opē to do us good thy wil is, that our mouthes likewise should be so hear­tily to render unto thee thanksgiving: Now then we praise and blesse thee for that thou hast so graci­ously preserved us unto this present houre, by rea­son of our sinnes our life is exposed to an infinitnes of [Page 93] inconveniences, and in the mean time we still subsist, and are filled with thy good things. Our being and our welbeing, Lord, we should hold it of thee, we ow it to thy free grace and meere mercy: to thee a­lone for the same be all glo­ry for evermore. But, O our most gracious God, it is most necessary for us, that thou continue thy gracious favours unto us: other­wise what thou hast hi­therto done for us, would turn to our confusion. Leave us not then, for then we shall perish, thou hast created and redeemed us, not to destroy us, but that [Page 94] we might have eternall life. Shed forth then upon us thy more especiall fa­vours, and above all the grace of thy holy Spirit. Thou that hast washt us from our sins in the preci­ous bloud of thy Sonne: Sanctifie also our soules by thy Word, and according to thy promise: For Lord, shall we enjoy Iesus Christ and his benefits without our serving of thee, with­out magnifying of thee? And what honour shall we render unto thee, or what acknowledgment, unlesse thou thy self confer upon us both the will and hability of performance? The will, and [Page 95] desire to honour thee: We already have of thy free grace, give us also the pow­er of performance. Give it us Lord with efficacy, and according to thy good pleasure: graunt it unto us, and at the most humble and fervent request which we make unto thee for the same. Give us not over nei­ther to the malice of our e­nemies, nor to our own per­versnes, let neither of them hinder us in thy service, nor let us not give them any subject of dishonoring thee let our example serve for our conversion. That they seeing the holines of our lives may lose their wils to [Page 96] hurt us, and may gain an af­fection to know thee a­right: to acknowledg thee, O God, according to thy Truth, according to their duty. Let us not, O Lord, a­buse our health, and present prosperity. Grant we may imploy them to the glori­fying of thee, and to the ad­vancement of thy work with faithfulnes, and every one according to his voca­tion whereunto thou hast called us, above all that in the midst of our greatest repose we may prepare our selves for afflictions, to the houre of death, and for the fruition of our eternall rest. When thou shalt visit vs [Page 97] with thy rods, that it may be in thy mercy, and for our amendment, when thou shalt call us, that it may be in thy grace, and for our sal­vation, whether in prospe­rity or in adversity, whe­ther sound, or sick, whether living or dying, we may e­vermore confesse thy truth, and do nothing which may be unworthy of our profes­sion, nothing which not se­riously testifies our repen­tance for our sinnes, our de­sire of thy grace, our see­king of thy glory, the peace of our soules, the comfort of our consciences, and the assurance of our salvation in thy welbeloved Sonne [Page 98] IESVS CHRIST.

In his Name we further pray thee to conferre the same good things on all our kinsfolks and friends: call unto thee those that know thee not, and strengthen those that already have thy feare. Establish, maintaine every where, and make ef­fectuall the Ministerie of thy Word for the conversi­on & consolation of al thine Elect, and for the enlarging of thy glory, & of the King­dome of Iesus Christ. Keep our King, and all His: grant Him a long Raigne in thy feare and for the good of of thy Church. Let his sub­jects O Lord, and above all, [Page 99] we, who are instructed by thy Gospell, render unto him, and unto all our Superiours all obedience, unto which thy Word ob­ligeth us. Make thine own sensible of the bitternes of thine afflictions, & rejoyce them also in the sweetnesse of thy comforts: so mo­derate and terminate thy corrections, that they may be wholsome unto them: Above all we beseech thee for them which have need of thy succours in this Church, deny them not thine assistance, heare their prayers and ours, comfort them and deliver them, that they and we may praise [Page 100] thee: solacing our selves in thy goodnes. And because O God, it is onely our sins which are able to hinder us from hoping to receive from thee that which we ask of thee, as thou pardo­nest us our sins in thy Son, graunt us grace voluntari­ly to renounce all iniquitie, so shal not the course of thy grace be interrupted: so shall we have experience both in our prayers of the Truth of thy promises, and in our whole life: Yea e­ven unto the last gasp ther­of, the continuance of thy fatherly mercy, in the same thy welbeloved Sonne, in whose Name, &c.

A Prayer for him, who after he hath beene worthily pre­pared to receive the holy Communion, approch­eth to the Lords Table.

9. O My God, O my Father, I have had experience of thy mercy in the whole course of my life, especially since thou gavest me the knowledge of thy Truth, and of my salvation, and at this present time Lord, thou openest before me the treasure of all thy riches, thou presentest and offer'st unto me whole Iesus Christ, with all his benefits. [Page 102] Seeing then O God of my salvation, seeing thou wilt, that I should obey thy Word, that I should draw neare unto thy Table: A­las suffer not, nor permit that it shalbe to my con­demnation: But O good God, far be it from me, that I should admit any such feare: For thou hast touched my heart with se­rious repentance. I am right sensible, that thou streng­thenest my faith, and reach­est forth unto me thy hand thy selfe to receive me this day, thou that art the Au­thour of my salvation. O happy day wherein I pro­test before thee to detest [Page 103] my sinnes, to renounce mine iniquity, to be admit­ted unto the participation of the Sacrament of the New Testament. Good God, give me now the grace to shew forth the death of my Saviour: grant that in his sufferings I may discern how great was thy wrath, how exact thy ju­stice against our sinnes, see­ing that to blot them out, thou hast not spared thine owne Sonne: Graunt also I may acknowledg thank­fully thy infinite mercy to­wards us, in that for us thine enemies, thou hast given unto death the just, thine onely Sonne. But, [Page 104] Lord, give me to admire the never to be paralel'd love, which thy Sonne bea­reth me, in that he hath un­dergone both my sins, and thy wrath, to affoord unto me the food of eternall life. O how wonderfull art thou in thy bounties? See­ing that this day thou wilt by visible and sacred signes augment my joy, and pre­sent to the view of mine eyes thy celestiall and invi­sible graces. At this in­stant thou wilt give me an assured pledge of my con­junction with Iesus Christ. And by him with thee, O my Father, as also with thy holy Spirit: Now shall I [Page 105] be assured, that Christ is in me, and I in him. O excel­lent Vnion, sith it bring­eth to passe, that I have peace with thee, that Iesus Christ taketh upon him all my evill, and bestoweth on me all his benefits, that he quickneth me by his Holy Spirit, that I am uni­ted unto all the faithfull, that nothing shall separate me from thy love, that none shall pluck me neither out of the hands of my Saviour, nor out of the bosome of his Church. I feare neither my sins; for behold here the bloud of my Saviour, which blotteth them out: nor thy wrath, for loe here the seale [Page 106] of my reconciliation with thee: nor the Devill, for be­hold here Christ who hath overcome: Nor death, for this day I receive the Sa­crament of life everlasting, this day is promise made unto me, and the scale of it is given me, that the hea­vens are opened unto me, that my habitation shalbe in the house of God for e­ver.

Lord increase my faith, Lord raise up my heart un­to thee, graunt that unto thy glory, graunt that unto salvation, I may compre­hend the excellency and the benefit of these things, and that thence I may take up [Page 107] a firm resolution to re­nounce the world, to walk therein as a pilgrim, as kee­ping on my way towards my Saviour, to draw unto him my neighbours, to e­difie them by mine exam­ple, to adhere to thy Truth, to continue their professi­on thereof against the rage, and against the subtilties of all the enemies of thy Truth to my singular comfort, e­ven unto the last gasp of my life. Amen.

A Thanksgiving to be ren­dred unto God, after we have been partakers of the holy Com­munion.

10. LOrd my God, how is my soule ravisht in contemplation of the good things, which thou commest to give me thy poore servant. Alas, Lord, I am farr lesse then the least of thy mercies, and then all the truth thou usest to­wards me, it is thou that assurest me that thy Sonne, that thine onely Sonne died for me; It is thou that hast given me the seales of thine [Page 109] inviolable Covenant. But what say I the seales? O God, thou knowest what ardor I feele at this present within me, an assured testi­monie, that Iesus Christ is come to dwell in my heart, by the precious faith thou hast given me: Yea, Lord, I feele that he dwelleth in me, I feele he engraveth in my heart the efficacie of his death and passion, he died once upon the Crosse for my sinnes: But he liveth for ever in my heart for my salvation. I know it, I be­leeve it, with as much cer­tainty as with truth, I have been partaker of the out­ward signes of thy grace, [Page 110] O let my soule enjoy so great repose, against her e­nemies, O let it have an un­speakeable contentment in thy mercy: As Iesus Christ died for me, let Iesus Christ live in me. O God it is so: for thou wilt have it so, for I am sensible of it, and my faith is greatly strengthe­ned. Surely, Lord, thou wilt be my God for ever, for thou art with me, thou givest me the bread of life, thou cloathest me with the innocency and righteous­nes of thy Son. O good God, finish in me thine own work, thou hast rescued me out of the dangers of eter­nall death, thou hast assured [Page 111] me of most happy rest, graunt me, Lord, yet this period unto my prayer, that I may not repay thee with ingratitude, that I may not die in sin, but may live to righteousnes, that I may deny my selfe, may edifie my neighbours, may con­secrate my self to thy glory, that in the sobriety, righte­ousnes, and religion of my life, I may affect nothing so heartily, have nothing so often before mine eyes, as my leaving of this world: And whilst thou preservest me therein, O God, as long as thou keepest me in the same, I may expect with all thine Elect, the most bles­sed [Page 112] hope and appearance of the glory of the great God, which is our Saviour Iesus Christ, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be ho­nour and glory from this time and for evermore. A­men.

A Morning Prayer.

12. O Lord God, Eter­nall Father, see­ing it hath pleased thee to bring us safely unto this present day, be pleased also to give us grace we may passe the same without of­fending thee, and what ere we shall do, say, or think, may be to the glory and praise of thy Name; and e­dification of our neigh­bours. And look not Lord, upon our infirmities, upon our sinnes, and on our un­thankfulnesse: But looke upon thine accustomed goodnes; and according [Page 116] to the same, turn not away thy face from us, but ever hold us up by thy hand, that we fall not from thee at all: and let not those threat­nings which thou hast pro­nounced against them, that have knowne thee, and have not glorified thee as they ought, fall upon us. But Lord, hold us ever in thy feare, and forsake us not; teach us to do thy will, and give us the will and the power to do it, for without thee we can do nothing.

Above all, Lord make us alwayes with our whole hearts imbrace the memory and the merit of the death [Page 117] of thy Sonne: And especi­ally when the houre of our owne death shall come, graunt that in the same we may have such faith, re­course, and assurance, that we may be in the ranke of those which die in the Lord. And even then also graunt us that we may leave this world without all discontent thereat, and that all our desire may be to be with thee. Also Lord, thou hast taught us to pray that thy Kingdome may come, be pleased to ad­vance forward the same; and in so doing touch our Kings heart, and the hearts of his Councill, and illu­minate [Page 118] them with thy brightnesse, that thou maist be King, and rule every where: And that thine e­nemies may be made thy footstoole: looke downe Lord in mercy upon all the poore afflicted ones, perse­cuted and oppressed, espe­cially for thy Word; De­liver them, O good God, as thou hast begun, from their enemies and thine, that thy children may be comforted and confirmed in their faith and hope, and that the wicked may learne to cease from their blasphe­ming of thee: And that they may know that thou art the King of Kings, and [Page 119] the Lord of Lords Lord be mercifull unto us poore and miserable sinners: Give gladnesse unto our soules, give succours unto thy Church, for it is time; O God, which art the God of Peace and of comfort, give us that true peace, which is the repose of our conscien­ces. In the meane time re­forme our disorders and confusions, as it shalbe ex­pedient for thy glory and our salvation, so that avoi­ding the surprises and pra­ctises which may be made against us by our enemies, we may serve thee in all se­curity and tranquillity ac­cording to thy holy will. [Page 120] All the which things we aske, and most humbly crave of thee in the Name, and for thy beloved Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ his sake, praying unto thee as it hath pleased him to teach and shew us how to call upon thee, saying:

Our Father which art in heaven, &c.

An Evening Prayer.

13. O Lord God, eternal and Almighty Fa­ther, who hast made & for­med us with thine owne hands, that knowest of what matter we are fashio­ned and made, and reservest to [Page 121] selfe, as Lord and Master, the prerogative of sounding and searching of the hearts of thy creatures, even unto their most retired thoughts. We cannot denie before thee this truth, namely; that we are poore sinners, conceiv'd and born in ini­quitie and corruption, in­clined to do evill, unprofi­table unto every good work, and that thorow our vitious disposition wee transgresse continually and without ceasing thy holy and heavenly Commande­ments, in doing wherof we purchase to our selves thy just judgment, our utter ru­ine and destruction. Yet [Page 122] Lord, we are grieved in our selves for the same.

O Lord God, who hast created the day for our tra­vell and the night for our rest, pardon us if we have not imployed the day to thy service in performing thy holy will and ordi­nance, and grant we may passe the night without of­fending thee, even that we may remaine unpolluted both in body and soule, to the end that in the mor­ning for our first work we may praise thee, and give thanks unto thee, and dis­pose our selves unto thy service. And because Lord, that in the night season our [Page 123] afflictions presse ordinarily more then in the day, and we have lesse succors from men; re-inforce, Lord, thy Guard over us, and behold with pitie and compassion all thy poore, afflicted, per­secuted and oppressed ones, especially for thy Word; deliver them, O good God, as thou hast begun, from their enemies, and thine, that thy children may be comforted and confirmed in their faith and hope, and the wicked may learn to blaspheme thee no more: but that they may know; that thou art the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Lord be mercifull unto us [Page 124] poore and miserable sin­ners, give joy to our soules, give relief to thy Church, for it is high time. O God, which art the God of peace and consolation, give us that true peace, which is the repose of our conscien­ces: In the meane while remedie our disorders and confusions, as shall be expe­dient for thy glory, and our salvation: So that avoi­ding the surprises and de­ceitfull practises, which may be made against us by our enemies, we may serve thee in all security and tran­quillity according to thy holy will. All the which things we ask and crave of thee [Page 125] most humbly, in the Name, and for the sake of thy wel­beloved Sonne, our Lord Iesus Christ, according as it hath pleased him to in­forme and teach us to pray unto thee, saying:

Our Father which art in heaven, &c.

The blessing of our gra­cious God and Father, the peace and grace of our Lord Iesus Christ remaine evermore with us, in the Communion of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Another Morning Prayer.

13. O Lord God, and most gracious Fa­ther, [Page 126] I thy poore creature, that naturally am wrapt in darknesse, durst not lift up mine eyes towards thee, that inhabitest inaccessi­ble light, were it not that thy deare Sonne, who is the brightnes of thy glory, hath made way for me to the Throne of thy Grace by the effusion of his precious bloud. And now my God, I acknowledge that it is a great benefit, that I that am unworthy to live upon the face of the earth, and have deserved by my sins to be cast for ever into utter darknes, have this happi­nes to see the light of the day, and of the Sun, and to [Page 127] behold the works of thy hands with the fruition of the good things of the earth, which thou hast gi­ven me. But because, O gracious God, thy Sun shines as well on the bad, as on the good, and that this light is but to guide my bo­dy, be pleased O God, that the brightnes of thy face may shine upon me, in bles­sing me, and enlighten my understanding by regenera­ting and sanctifying me, that I may walk in the way of thy Commandements, that in my Calling I may in such sort carry my self, as that all my words, deeds, and thoughts may be cor­respondent [Page 128] to thy honour and glory, and to the edifi­cation of my neighbours. Lord, thou hast drawne me out of the darknes of i­dolatrie and ignorance, thou hast taken away the vaile of superstition from before myne eyes, thou hast also even in my time caused to shine forth, and as it were lighted againe that lamp of the preaching of thy Gospell. But suffer me not, that having eyes, not to see with them: But Lord, inlighten all the parts of my soule, and graunt that what ere is in me, may be imployed to give thee all honour and obedience; that [Page 129] in my Calling thy feare may before mine eyes: And because thou esteemest not thy selfe to be loved of us, unlesse we love our neigh­bours, imprint in me a faith working by love, in such sort, that with confidence I may have a good consci­ence, doing nothing to any other, but what I would should be done to my selfe: Let me have a mercifull and a relenting heart, let not my bowels be straiten­ed towards the needy and poore: Lastly that seeing the shape of this world to passe away, I may use it as a passenger, re­membring ever that my [Page 130] freedome is in heaven. Give me peace in my fami­ly, give a blessing upon my labour, contentment to my mind, repose and comfort to the poore afflicted, and full deliverance to thy Church by thy Sonne Iesus. Amen.

Another Prayer for the Evening.

15. O Lord God, thy People Israel offe­red unto thee Evening and Morning Sacrifices in to­ken of acknowledgment unto thee, that keepest us both morning and evening; but what more acceptable [Page 131] sacrifice can we offer unto thee then our contrite hearts and tongues to praise and blesse thee? Wherefore Lord, in all hu­mility and reverence I pre­sent my self before thy face: beseeching thee, thou wilt be pleased not to enter into account, nor into judgment with me thy poore crea­ture, for whether thou loo­kest upon the first, or on the second Table of thy Com­mandements, thou wilt find that I have offended thee many wayes. Yet as the child hath alwaies recourse to his father, I have my re­fuge and my retrait unto thee O Lord, which art [Page 132] slow unto anger, and of great compassion, beseech­ing thee by thy goodnes to cover my sins, as all things are covered thorow the darknes spread over the earth. Alas, my God, I know Satan goeth round about us as a roaring Lion, I know he is the governour of the darknes, and Prince of this world: But withall if thou be for me, who shalbe against me? It is thou that hast thousands of Angels that are encamped round about us: It is thou that hast created the Sun begetting heat, and the Moone affording coolenes: It is thou that governest [Page 133] the whole frame of nature, and never slumberest: Be pleased then to graunt me the favour to take my rest this night in peace, not to suffer a sleepe unto the things of the earth, but more and more to acknow­ledg thankfully thy good­nes, untill thou callest me unto that so greatly to be desired rest which thou hast prepared for us; O how sweet and amiable will that dwelling be to us, when in our graves we shall heare the voice of thy Sonne to raise us up unto glorious immortalitie. But in the mean time whilst we expect that last comming, [Page 134] we commend unto thee, O heavenly Father, the peace and preservation of thy Church, our Superiours, and Magistrates, and all them that have need of thy succours: beseeching thee that in this decrepit age of the world, wherein all the kingdomes of the earth do stagger, thou wilt be the prop and shoare of thy poore people, and in stead of the so many dolorous dayes and yeares which we have seen, we may see some rest in the midst of thy Church. Raise up, Lord, some nursing father, and some retrait for thy chil­dren, that an over-violent [Page 135] oppression trample them not under foot, and this for thy beloved Son our Lord Iesus Christ his sake, in whom I trust, and on whom I repose my selfe. Amen.

A Prayer in the time of the Plague.

16. LOrd, whose infi­nite power see­meth small, being compa­red to thy mercy, turne thine eye of pitie upon us, and amidst the dangers of this pestilent infection, which threatneth us on e­very side, retaine and up­hold our languishing lives, [Page 136] which without thy grace would vanish to nothing, and be turned to corrupti­on in a moment. With the same mercy, wherewith thou hast cleansed our soules, consecrating them to thy service by the badge of sacred Baptisme, repurge and cleanse our bodies to serve as cleane vessels unto our soules, and to co-ope­rate in the mysterie of thy praise. Thou drewest light out of the bottomlesse deep by thy power, thou draw­est away the darkenesse which obscured the earth: Purge away now again by y ^e same light the noisomnes and corruption of the ayre, [Page 137] and in such wise powre forth thy grace, that we may breath to our safety and preservation. Lord, thou hast justly suffered for the punishment of our sins this poison and contagious venome to raigne with power over our bodies. But seeing thy deare and onely beloved Sonne hath blotted out with his bloud the sin which had provo­ked thee, he should withall have drowned the scourges appointed for the punish­ment. We fall againe every day into the gulfe, where­out thou hast drawne us, we renounce by our evill life the grace thou hast [Page 138] given us. It is true, Lord, that if thou wilt judge us in thy justice, we have but to be silent and to suffer: but we implore thy mercy, greater yet then all our sins: thy mercy Lord, which cannot bee invoked in vaine. It sufficeth that we lift up our eyes unto thee, it sufficeth that we sigh, & turne our heart unto thee, so soone as we feele thee present, and neare unto us. But without thee, Lord, we cannot move towards thee. Take us then my God, and inspire into us this whol­some motion: In the se­quell whereof we shall un­doubtedly have what ere [Page 139] we crave of thee, in the name of thy precious Son our Saviour Iesus Christ. Sith then that in his name we ask of thee the health of our bodies, preserve them, my God, from the danger wherein they are, make the ayre we breath, the water we drink, the victuals we use, the garments where­with we cloath our selves, may be instruments of health to our life, remove farr from us in every thing what is impure and peste­lent, fortifie the spirits that animate our bodies, to the end to be able to resist all the infection, they may en­counter, to overcome, and [Page 140] surmount the same. Give us firme and undaunted cou­rage, to wit, relying and re­sting on thy grace, tho­rough the which we may be enabled to passe without apprehension, the dangers amidst the which it plea­seth thee that we live, and make us continually sensi­ble of thy comfort, by which we may be guided with a quiet mind tho­rough the midst of these worldly miseries, maintai­ning evermore that lively hope in our hearts, that gi­ving thee the glory which is due to thy holy Name, we may arrive in the end to that which thou hast [Page 141] promised to thine Elect. Amen.

A Prayer upon the Cre­ation.

17. LOrd God, who hast created all for thy glory, especially man to be the principall instru­ment thereof, and hast moreover received him un­to the greatest honour, as­suring him, that he shall ob­taine what ere he shall ask of thee in true faith and charity, raise up my thoughts, purifie my heart, sanctifie my tongue, to the end I may sing worthily thy praises, render unto thy [Page 142] bounty the thanksgivings which are due thereunto, and ask that which is ne­cessary for my salvation, and convenient and meet for the advancement of thy glory. This Lord, I cannot do, but thorough thy favo­rable assistance. Not onely all good commeth forth from thee, but even the ha­bility to ask it. As then with fierie tongues thou openedst the lips of thine Apostles, purge now this of a poore humble sinner, and instruct my heart to ask of thee what may be plea­sing unto thee. Give me a new spirit, which may know how to conceive [Page 143] that good which is to be praied for from thee, which therin may take content, which may therin confirm and entertaine it selfe, not floting and wavering, but firme and surely anchored in the faith of thy promises and assurance of thy good­nes, as in that safe and calm haven, whither ought to be steared the whole equi­page of all our desires: loo­king alwayss for our most assured star the merit of thy most deare Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ, by the inter­cession of whom we cannot fall from any of our hopes: unto him I say be glory and honour for ever and ever. Amen.

A Morning Prayer.

18. O Light of lights, which hast disper­sed the darknesse to bring light into the world, and to give man for a mirrour the beauty of thy works, and the elegant varietie of formes wherewith thou hast distinguisht them, and as thou now bringest upon the earth the brightnes of the day and of the Sun, bring also Lord, upon my soule the brightnes of thy holy Spirit, that according to the mesure, that my arms shalbe imployed for the maintenance of my body, [Page 145] the thoughts of my soule may be engaged in the in­vocating of thy holy grace, thorow the conduct wher­of wee may walke so on thorough the wayes of this sensuall and corruptible world, that I may not go astray from the celestiall and incorruptible. That if my senses deceived by the pleasing baites, and delici­ous objects which offer themselves in the world, would seduce my reason: hold them back Lord, by the hope of pleasures infi­nitely greater, which are proposed to them which live according to thy holy will, and by the feare of the [Page 146] paines [...] number, [...] [...]out measure, which [...] them that forsake the way of thy commande­ments, to follow that of their flesh. And seeing that to lead me to thy mercy, thou hast been pleased that the Author of light, that e­ternall wisedome came downe upon earth, and there abode for a time, that he might converse amongst us to light the lamp of our soules, by the fire of thy holy Word: Infuse, Lord, by the same bounty, the cleare light which thou hast put therein by the o­peration of thy holy Spirit, that in thy wedding day, [Page 147] we finding our selves ador­ned with the wedding gar­ment of thy grace, we may be led into the participati­on of thy celestiall glory.

A Prayer for the Evening.

19. LOrd, in as much as thine unsearchable wisdome hath been pleased to divide our whole life in­to labour and rest; and eve­ry one of our dayes into light and darknes, and yet appointest them both to serve thy glory: Now at this houre, that it hath plea­sed thee to shut in this day. and to call me from my la­bour to sleepe, I lift up my hands unto thee, and offer unto thee for an Evening [Page 148] Sacrifice my heart and my tongue, and revolving and ruminating in my thoughts that favour wherewith thou hast from morning unto this evening sustained my life, conducted my acti­ons, guided my steps, dire­cted my hands, governed my thoughts, turned away the temptations of the world; I forme in my voice, in the best manner I am able, a thanksgiving and song of praise to thy infinite goodnesse. And therefore, albeit I know well that in my works there is a great deale more want then good, yea not to file upon the account, but [Page 149] that which proceedeth from my self, the whole must needs be damnable. I conjure thy sacred mercy, that it will make them ac­ceptable by powring forth on them that infinite grace which thy deare Son hath purchased for the world, which alone giveth perfe­ction and sanctification un­to all the actions of men. Now that I go to yeeld my eyes unto sleepe, graunt my body may take rest in bed, my soule withall may re­pose in the bosome of thy Son Iesus Christ. And thy Holy Spirit watching over me, may remove far away frō me all unclean concupis­cences, [Page 150] foolish imaginati­ons, and uncouth dreames, and deliver me from all feare, saving from that of thy sacred and severe judg­ment; and so moderate the course of my sleep, that repairing my strength of body, it may not lull it a­sleep in idlenes, but let me awake at a fit houre, and exercise my self in holy prayer thus all the dayes of my life, sliding on one after another, untill it shall please thee to change this tempo­rall into an eternall rest, thorow the intercession of him, that hath purchased as with the price of his bloud, our SAVIOVR [Page 151] IESVS CHRIST. Amen.

A Prayer for our finall ob­taining of victorie by Ie­sus Christ.

20. O Almighty God, sith we are filled with so many concupiscen­ces, which must needs pol­lute the pure and sacred gifts of thy Holy Spirit, graunt we may take in good part the chastise­ments which thou sendest us to tame and bring under the said concupiscences: and that as we acknowledg thee to be our shepheard, we may yeeld up our selves to be governed by thy [Page 152] shepheards staffe, profiting daily under thy chastise­ments, and tasting in thy se­veritie of thy bounty, that we may not be discouraged but walking on forward thorow mis-reports and disgraces; yea, even tho­row the midst of death for thy Names sake, that we may rejoyce in thee, estee­ming all things losse, for the price of the knowledge of thy Sonne, who giveth the same Spirit that hath sancti­fied us, which also streng­theneth us: That being partakers of that unction of the Holy Ghost, we may withall be partakers of the victorie of thy Sonne [Page 153] IESVS CHRIST.

A Prayer for the preservati­on of the Church.

21. ETernall Lord God, strong, pitifull, mercifull, slow to anger, a­bundantly plentifull in thy free mercy and truth, kee­ping Covenant to a thou­sand generations, taking a­way iniquity, transgression, and sin: We beseech thee, that we may find favour before thine eyes, pardon our iniquities and our sins, and possesse us, fill us with thy Spirit in wisdome, in understanding, in know­ledge, teach us that which [Page 154] we are to do, so that we may apply our hearts to thy Word, and may not hold on our course of sin­ning, nor follow the multi­tude to do evill: But that we may seriously obey thy voice, keep thy covenant, may be ranked amongst all people thy most precious jewell, although all the earth is thine, and we are unto thee a kingdome of Priests, and an holy Nation, dwell thou in the midst of us, and be our God. Pre­serve our houses, and when thou shalt passe thorow the countrey [...]o strike, and to exercise judgement, let there be no wound unto de­struction [Page 155] among us, bedeaw with the bloud of the Lamb our threshold and both our doore-posts: look upon that bloud, and passe by the doore, and suffer not the destroyer to enter into our houses to strike, that we may know thou puttest a difference between the E­gyptians and the Israelites. Graunt thy children may grow and increase into ex­ceeding great abundance, may be multiplied and re­inforced mightily, so that even the earth may be re­plenished with them, and the more it shall afflict them, the more they may multiplie in all abundance. [Page 156] Be moved with compassi­on towards them which sigh and crie, let their crie come up unto thee, looke downe upon their afflicti­on.

Another Prayer for the Church.

22. LOrd, thou takest no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but hadst rather that he should turne from his way and live. Powre not forth thy furie upon us, heape not thy wrath upon us, judge us not after our wayes; but let thine eye spare us, and have compassion upon us, for we [Page 157] are thy sheep, the sheep of thy pasture, and thou art our God. Hide not then thy face from us, but powre forth thy Spirit upon us. Graunt we may have all but one heart, and put into us a new spirit: Take from us our heart of stone, give us a heart of flesh, that we may walk in thy statutes, may keep thy ordinances, may do them, and be thy people, and thou our God. So shalt thou make known the Name of thy holines in the midst of us, shalt be sanctified in us, in the pre­sence of the Nations, and we will consider in our hearts, will regard and look [Page 158] on with our eyes, will hear­ken unto with our eares what ere thou speakest un­to us, concerning all thy or­dinances, and thy Lawes. Save thy flocke, that it may not become a prey; raise up Pastors thy servants, that may feed it with whol­some food. And let them whom thou hast set for watchmen in thine house hearken to the words of thy mouth, and give war­ning from thee. Give them a mouth opened amongst us, that the sheep which are dispersed thorow y ^e want of a shepheard, and which are exposed to be devoured, and they which err, and are [Page 159] strayed out of the way over the whole surface of the earth, may be drawn home, and gathered in, and that thou maiest feed them, and give them rest, seek out that which is lost, bring back that which is driven away, bind up that which is broken, strengthen that which is sick, and those that are afarr off amongst the Nations, and those that are scattered upon the earth, be thou unto them a safe San­ctuarie in the countries wherein they are. Sanctifie thy great Name, which hath been prophaned a­mong the Nations, let them know that thou art the [Page 160] Lord, that thou maist be sanctified among them, and that the earth may shine a­broad with thy glorie.

A Prayer to be affected with Spirituall things, and to re­nounce the world.

23. LOrd we are rebel­lious against thy Truth, and have not been obedient to thy righteous­nes, nor have put in pra­ctise thy Law; whence our condemnation is just. Yet Lord, saith was imputed to Abraham for righteous­nes: Graunt it may be so also imputed to us, and that we may obtaine mercy: [Page 161] Seeing Christ died for us, and he is the end of the Law, righteousnes unto all beleevers, and that whoso­ever beleeveth in him, shall not be confounded. And for that they that are according to the flesh, are affectioned to the things of the flesh, but they that are according to the spirit, un­to the things of the spirit: And in as much as the affe­ction of the flesh is death, but the affection of the spi­rit is life and peace. Let thy Spirit dwell in us, and let us put on the Lord Iesus Christ, and let us not be carefull for the flesh to ful­fill the lusts thereof: Know­ing [Page 162] that Christ being risen againe from the dead, dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him: For in that he died, he died once for sinne; but in that he liveth, he liveth unto thee. Also we summe up thus our account, that we are dead unto sin, but live unto thee in Iesus Christ our Lord: and that we shall appeare all before his judg­ment-Seat: and that every one of us shall render an ac­count for himself.

Let then thy feare be before our eyes, having in horror all evill, & cleaving unto that which is good, that we lay no stumbling [Page 163] block or occasion of falling before our brother, but may walk in charity, loving our neighbor as our selves, being fervent in spirit, ser­ving thee, joyfull in hope, patient in tribulations, per­severing in prayer. That we may offer up our bodies as living sacrifices, holy, and pleasing unto thee, which is our reasonable service, and let us not fashion our selves unto this present world: But let us be transformed by the renewing of our un­derstanding, that we may search out what thy good, pleasant, and perfect wil is. And be it that we live, we may live unto thee; be it [Page 164] wv die, we may die unto thee; that whether we live, or whether we die, we may be thine: For there­fore died Christ, and rose a­gaine, and returned unto life, that he might have do­minion both over the dead and over the living. We commend unto thee all thy Churches, let the weak in faith be strengthened, grant there may be the obedience of faith thorow out all na­tions. Let every knee bow before thee, and let every tongue give thee praise. Let all nations praise thee Lord, and let all people celebrate thee. Relieve the poore and afflicted, and make [Page 165] them partakers of spirituall good things. Furnish them with the things of this life, assist them in every thing they stand in need of tho­row Iesus Christ.

Grace be with us, and peace from God our Fa­ther, and from the Lord Ie­sus Christ.

A Thankesgiving and a Prayer on the same subject.

24. O Our God and Father which rai­sedst from the dead Iesus Christ, who gave himselfe for our sinnes, to the end, that according to thy will he might withdraw us out [Page 166] of this evill world. To thee be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 'Tis thou Lord, that hast called us by thy grace, and hast revealed un­to us thy Sonne, who hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, when he was made a curse for us, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit by faith, knowing that man is not justified by the works of the Law, but onely by faith in Iesus Christ, in whom we have believed that we might be justified by faith. Give us to obey thy Truth, furnish us with thy Spirit, which may produce thy vertues in us. And because [Page 167] we are thy children, send the Spirit of thy Sonne into our hearts, crying Abba Fa­ther; so that being thy children, we may be thine heires thorow Christ, and that we may walk accor­ding to y ^e spirit, & not fulfil the lusts of the flesh: be­cause what a man soweth, that shall he reape also. For he that soweth to the flesh, shall reape of the flesh cor­ruption: But he that sow­eth to the Spirit, he shall reape of the Spirit life eter­nall. That we may live by the Spirit, and may walk al­so in the Spirit, the fruit whereof is love, joy, peace, patience, gentlenes, good­nes, [Page 168] faithfulnes, meeknes; temperance. And as they which are Christs, have crucified the flesh with the Iusts thereof, that we may be crucified with Christ, and may live not now we, but that Christ may live in us; and that what we now live in the flesh, we may live in the faith of thy Son, who hath loved us, and gave himselfe for us: that it might not happen unto us to glory in any thing save in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ, by whom the world may be crucified unto us, and we unto the world: And that in him we may be new [Page 169] creatures, not growing carelesse of well doing, see­ing we shall reape in due season, if we grow not slacke. Wherefore whilst we have time, let us do good unto al men, but espe­cially unto the houshold of faith. And all they that shall walk according to this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon thy Israel O God. Work with effi­cacie by those unto whom the preaching of the Gos­pell is committed. That they which know thee not, and who serve those that by nature are no gods, may know thee, and may be knowne of thee, and may [Page 170] not to be turned back to the weak and beggarly ru­diments which they would serve. That all they that are baptised, may put on Christ, and that we may be all united in Iesus Christ our Saviour.

Let thy grace be with our spirit. Amen.

A Prayer to be filled with Charitie.

25. LOrd, I beseech thee I may abound in faith and charity, that I may yeeld up my self whol­ly first unto thee, and then according to thy will unto my brethren: knowing the [Page 171] gracious favour of our Lord Iesus Christ, namely that he became poore for me, although he was rich, that by his poverty I might be made rich. That my a­bundance might supply their wāt, that I might have both a forwardnes of will thereunto, and an habilitie of bringing the same into action also, according to my meanes. That it may relish of bounty, not of close-hand niggardlinesse: Knowing that he that soweth spa­ringly, shall also gather spa­ringly: and he that soweth liberally, shall gather also li­berally. That it may not be unwillingly or by con­straint, [Page 172] seeing thou lovest a chearefull giver: and art able to make to abound all grace in me, to the end that having alwayes all suffici­encie in all things, I may be plentifull in every good work (as it is writ) he hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poore: his righteousnes abideth for e­ver. Now thou Lord, that givest seed to the sower, be pleased also to give unto me bread to eat, and multi­plie my wealth, augment the revenue of my righte­ousnes, and that I may be enriched in all franknes of liberalitie.

The Kings Prayer. Sa­muel II.

26. LOrd, thou hast a­nointed me to be King, thou hast accepted me to be the Leader of thy People, be with me, be thou with me, be thou my Fa­ther, and I shalbe thy Son. Let not thy free mercy de­part from me. Make an e­verlasting Covenant with me. Keepe me whither so­ever I shall go. Protect me from the hand of all them that shall rise up against me. Establish the throne of my kingdome, blesse thou thy servants house, that it [Page 174] may be blessed for ever. Graunt my dominion over men may be just, that I may govern in thy feare: O God, and that I may raigne do­ing judgement and justice to all my people, even as thou hast commanded me, and that I may be accep­table unto thee.

Another Prayer of the Kings. Chron. I.

27. O God, give me an upright & sound heart, that I may keep thy commandements, and thy testimonies, and thy sta­tutes, that I may know and serve thee with an upright [Page 175] heart, and with a willing mind. For thou Lord searchest the hearts, and knowest all the imaginati­ons of the thoughts there­of, graunt I may raigne do­ing judgment and justice to all thy people, that I may be thy Sonne, and that thou mayst be unto me a Father. Establish the throne of my Kingdome for ever. Be with me, that I may pros­per, and build thy house, O Lord my God. Give me wisdome and understan­ding, and teach me how to governe, and how I may keep thy Law, knowing that then I shall prosper, if I take heed to do thy sta­tutes [Page 176] and judgments which thou hast commanded. For­tifie me, and double in me my strength, keepe me wheresoever I go, blesse al­so thy servants house, that it may be alwayes before thee, and may be blessed for ever. Give peace and rest unto thy people in my time. Graunt thy Name may abide firme, and be magnified for ever.

The Peoples Prayer for the King.

27. BLessed be thou, O Lord our God, that hast accepted our King to set him upon the throne, [Page 177] because thou hast loved us, and hast establisht him, to the end to do judgment and justice. Shew thy great mercy unto him, and that he may walk before thee in truth, in righteousnes, and uprightnes of heart. Be with him, magnifie his Throne, lengthen his daies, and let him live for ever. Let there be peace to thee­wards alwayes for him, for his posteritie, for his house, and for his Throne. Give him riches, and glory, so as there hath not been the like unto him amongst Kings: Let him be greater then all the Kings of the earth, both in riches and in [Page 178] wisdome: Let him walk in thy wayes, to keep thy ordinances, and thy com­mandements, and let there ever be in him divine wis­dome: Put his enemies un­der his feet: Give him rest round about him, and let him have no adversitie nor evill lucke. Let his people be very numerous, as the sand which is on the sea shore. Let him have peace round about him on every side, and let neither them nor their children turne back from thee, but keep thy commandements and thy statutes, which thou hast set before them, that men may know that thou [Page 179] art God in this Kingdome, and that we are thy ser­vants.

A Prayer of the faithfull that fervently desireth to participate in the publike exercises whereof he was deprived.

28. O Lord of Hosts how amiable are thy Tabernacles! My soule ceaseth not to desire great­ly, and even languisheth af­ter thy Courts, my heart and my flesh leape for joy after thee, O mighty and li­ving God. O how happy are they that dwell in thy house, which praise thee [Page 180] uncessantly! O how happy is the man whose strength is in thee, and they that go by troupes to present themselves before thee in thy Temple! For better is a day in thy Courts, then a thousand elswhere. I had rather be a doore-keeper in thy house, O my God, then to dwell in the Taber­nacles of the wicked. For Lord God, thou art unto us a Sunne and a shield: thou givest grace and glory, and withholdest no good thing from them that walk in in­tegrity. O my God, I seek thee by the day breake, my soule thirsteth after thee: my flesh desireth thee as in [Page 181] a desart land. I am athirst, and without water to see thy face, and thy glory, as I have beheld thee in thy Sanctuary, for thy free mercy is better then life: therfore shall my lips praise thee: and so will I blesse thee whilst I live, and will lift up my hands in thy Name. Satisfie my soule as it were with honie, and with fatnes, and let my mouth praise thee with a song of rejoicing. Be my helper, and I will rejoice in the shadow of thy wings. My soule shall cleave unto thee to follow thee, and thy right hand shall hold me up.

Another Prayer out of the second Epistle of S ^t. Iohn.

29. LOrd, cause thy Truth to abide in us, and to be alwayes with us, and let us be ever found walking in the Truth, ac­cording as we have recei­ved thy Commandement. Let us love one another, and walk according to thy commandements, taking heed unto our selves, that we lose not that we have done, but rather that we may receive our full wages, and that our joy may be full.

Grace, mercy, and peace [Page 183] from God the Father, and from the Lord Iesus Christ, the Sonne of the Father be with us in truth and love.

1. A Prayer to be said when the sicke is in perplexitie.

34. O Lord, our good God and graci­ous Father, the onely comfort of our soules, the gladnes of our hearts, our sole solace and refuge, yea our singular sweetnesse amidst the shar­pest bitternesses and angui­shes which oppresse us, we beseech thee to cast thy [Page 476] sweet and mercifull eyes upon this sicke person, which hath received this honour together with us by thy speciall favour to bee delivered from the power of darknesse; and to be transported unto the Kingdome of the Sonne of thy love: having opened his heart, as ours, to receive the Word of life, which a­lone can save our soules. And as thou hast given him the wil to do wel, grant un­to him, and unto us also this happines, to give him to perfect the same according to thy good pleasure, and to finish his course in thy feare, that persevering in [Page 478] the confession of thy holy Name, thy light and thy truth may lead him, and bring him into the moun­taine of thy holinesse. O Heavenly Shepheard, that hast sent thy deare Sonne to seeke the lost sheep, and who repellest not the lan­guishing soule that casts it selfe into thy bosome: ac­complish in such sort thy strength in the weaknesse of this sicknes, that he may say with his whole heart: the Lord is my portion and my succour, therefore will I hope in him unto the end.

And seeing thou hast en­graven and imprinted the seale of thine election upon [Page 479] the soule of this sick person: Yea sith thou hast sealed him with the seale of thy Spirit, for the Day of re­demption purchased unto the glory of thy Name. And seeing thy comforts are welcom to good soules, give unto this sicke per­son amidst the anguishes he suffers in his body, a vi­gorous and a constant soule, sweetly bedewd from the springs of sweet comforts, in the midst of the hot fits of his disease, and the which may make to flie up and to sparkle forth the flames of a sacred desire, e­ven unto the Sanctuarie of thy Holines, there to be­hold [Page 480] with the eyes of his mind, the ineffable love thou bearest to thine Elect, and the glory inestimable which thou keepest in hea­ven for thy children.

And to this end give him a gracious refreshing, repaire his enfeebled for­ces, wasted and spent by the violence of his disease: quicken his heart by the sweetnes of thy grace: kin­dle afresh his zeale, inflame his prayers, animate his sighes, restore unto him the joy of his salvation, and let the bones which thou hast broken, rejoyce.

As then thou didst that favour unto the Israelites, [Page 481] even then when they were in the desarts, to make them to tast of the fruits of the terrestriall Canaan, to the end to incourage them to make them to walk on forward with boldnesse to­wards the Land of Pro­mise. So (Lord) give unto this sick person, and unto us that are in the wildernesse of this world, an assurance of the forgivenes of our sins in the bloud of thy Welbe­loved, who was wounded for our trespasses, and brui­sed for our iniquities, peace in our consciences, a conti­nuall acknowledgment of thy favours, a firm reliance on thy love, and joy in our [Page 482] soules, which are the fruits of the Celestiall Canaan, to the end that relishing that sweetnes, we may aspire with zeale and courage to­wards the end of our Spiri­tuall Calling in Iesus Ch [...]st to be filled, not with [...] and hony, but with [...] beams of thy glorious [...] and with the rivers of th [...] pleasures with thee for e­vermore. For in possessio [...] of thee (great God) we shall possesse all things: and in thee and thorow thee we shalbe all radiant with thy glory, and shining as the brightnes of the firma­ment, and as the Sun which shineth in his strength.

And during this small time which remains for us to live in this world, give u [...] grace that thorow good works we may make sure [...] Vocation and Election: to the end, that thus doing, [...] [...]ntrance into the eter­ [...] [...]ingdome of our Savi­our Iesus Christ may be a­b [...]nd [...]ntly accommodated unto us, bearing evermore in [...]nd those words of thy Sonne Iesus Christ: that he that shall persevere, and shall overcome, shalbe clo­thed with white garments, and I will not blot his name out of the booke of life: But I will confesse his name before my Father, [Page 484] and before his Angells.

And to the end we may receive death (which is the end of our miseries) in good part, make us seri­ously to think on the future resurrection of our bodies, for as this day (according as thy Prophet Amos teach­eth) us) shalbe a day of dark­nes, not of brightnes, of heavines, not of joy, of de­struction, not of salvation to the wicked, so shall it be the acceptable day of the Lord for the good, for (as thy Son our Saviour teach­eth us) we ought to lift up our heads, and to rejoyce in that day, because our re­demption is neare.

In that day shall it be, (according to thy Prophet Malachie) that the register or book of remembrance, which is written before thee, of them which think of thy Name, shalbe ope­ned. If King Assuerus had in his Palace a Booke of the worthy exploits of his sub­jects, wherein he found written the good deeds of Mardoch [...], to recom­pence it: and shalt not thou have, O great King, by whom the Kings of the earth raigne: Thy book of life and retribution, wherin are writ the names of thy children, whom by a singu­lar prerogative thou hast [Page 486] adopted for such in thy Son Iesus Christ? David surely knew this mysterie, when as in his sorest affli­ctions he said unto thee: Lord thou tellest my wan­derings, my tears are in thy bottle, are they not in thy Book?

Now to the end we may bee acceptable to thee, whilst we are incompassed with this mortall flesh, graunt us the grace to live in this present world sober­ly, justly, and religiously, ex­pecting that happy day of the last resurrection, and appearing of thy deare Son our Saviour Iesus Christ, who in the same shall trans­forme [Page 487] our vile bodies, to the end they may be made like to his glorious body, according to the effectuall power, wherby he is able to subdue all things unto himself. Vnto thee O great God thorow thy Son Iesus Christ, in the Vnity of the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

2. Another Prayer when the sicke is neare unto death.

35. O Lord, our good God and Father, who out of thy great good­nes daily showrest downe [Page 488] upon us a sea of bounty and blessings, and who hast in thy hand rest and labour, health and sicknes, life and death. We poore sinners, setling our selves upon the assurance of thy goodnes, which is continually ready to relieve those that resort thereunto in the interim of their grievous assaults: unto the blessed haven of thy sacred mercy: We are bold in the name of this sick per­son, who fighteth against death, to lift up our hearts and our eyes towards thee, to the end that thy favour and grace may serve unto him for a starre of light, and a guide, in that voyage [Page 489] which his soule maketh from earth to heaven, and from this mortall life, unto the immortall, to persist firmly in the faith even un­to the end, without being terrified or shaken by temptation, illusion, or by any other stratageme of the enemie.

Thou art O great God, the light of all them that hope in thee, and who led­dest thy people Israel tho­row the ghastly wildernes by a pillar of fire in the dark night, therfore we be­seech thee to enlighten with thine assistance, and holy protection this thy childe in the darke­some [Page 490] passage of death.

And surely Lord, experi­ence shewes us that when humane means seeme most to faile us, then is it that thou keepest nearest unto thine to comfort them with thy right hand, hand­ling them with thy helpfull hand, with gentle and che­rishing fomentations: and that thou makest them sen­sible that the point of their extreame need is the op­portunitie of thy succours. And therefore is it, that now the heart of this sicke person sobbeth, that his eyes are duskish and heavy, his eares deafe, his mouth dry and juycelesse, and as [Page 491] the outward man falleth in him, it would please thee to give him strength in his inward man, and to fill his soule with gladnes and joy in that last conflict, ma­king him powerfully to re­lish those celestiall gifts, which are laid up for us in heaven, by the merits of thy deare Sonne our Sa­viour, who to make us to live againe in heaven, after he had by his death recon­ciled us unto thee, ascended into heaven, there to pre­pare a place for us.

In the interim then of this small time, which re­maines for this thy child to live in this world, give him [Page 492] grace that his spirit may al­wayes acknowledge thee, that his heart may adore thee whilst he shall breath that he may be assured sted­fastly, that in the end of his mortall sweat he may find unspeakable happines with his bride-groome Iesus Christ, unto whom with thee in the unitie of the Holy Ghost, be honour and glorie for ever. Amen.

3. Another prayer in distres.

36. LOrd, God and Fa­ther of all mercy, that sentest from heaven an Angell to comfort thy Son, when in the depth of his [Page 493] Passion (bearing our sor­rowes, and loaden with our griefs, wounded for our of­fences, and bruised for our iniquities) his soule was heavie even unto death. We beseech thee from the bottome of our hearts to comfort this thy sick child, whom thou hast regenera­ted and incorporated into thy welbeloved Sonne: ac­knowledg (Lord) the mark of thine adoption in him.

We know, O God of inestimable puritie, that our sinnes drive us back far away from thee: But thy deare Sonne, who is made for us (by thee) wisdome, righteousnesse, sanctifica­tion, [Page 494] and redemption: not only washeth us with his bloud to becom acceptable unto thee, but withall ma­keth & giveth us entrance into thy Sanctuary, & bold­nes by his death to approch with assurance to the throne of thy grace, to be heard in due time.

Graunt grace unto this sick person to free the point of death with an holy and Christian resolution. Redouble his courage at that present houre, that his soule is upon the point to behold thy face, wherein is fulnesse of joy. And amidst the violent dartings of those sighs which accom­panie [Page 495] the last acts of his life, give him perfect clear­ [...]esse of judgement, accom­panied with calmenesse of spirit, evermore to ac­knowledge his true and only God, that drawes him out of the desarts of this world, to live happy in the Heavenly Ierusalem, and who withdrawes him out of the bottomlesse depths of wretchednes, to bring him to live in heaven, hea­ped with eternall blessings.

Command thy holy An­gels which thou incampest round about those that feare thee, and which watch for the welfare and safety of thy children, that [Page 496] they beare the soule of this thy servant up into heaven, the sacred Temple of thy glory, most gloriously re­splendant with happinesse and honour, where he shall clearely see that which his spirit adores here below, and where he shall injoy that divine and celestiall harmonie, which the bles­sed Spirits make unto thee uncessantly, and the eternall joyes which cannot be va­lued, and where he shall live in continuall admirati­on of those incomprehensi­ble bounties in the presence of his Spouse, thy beloved Sonne Iesus Christ. To whom with thee and the [Page 497] Holy Ghost be honour and glory for evermore. So be it.

4. Another Prayer to bee said when the Sicke is in extremity.

37. O Lord, our good God, and most mercifull Father, who be­ing overcome with the bowels of thy tender mer­cies hast sent down thy be­loved Sonne to save sin­ners, and hast been pleased that this thy Sonne was bound to loose us, condem­ned to absolve and free us, that he died, to give us life; yea, that he was made a [Page 498] curse, to the end, that we might be made a blessing of God in him. We beseech thee to graunt this grace unto this sick person, to re­pose and relye himselfe on the certainty of faith, for the full remission of his sinnes, upon that entire and perfect satisfaction, which thy deare Sonne (whose bloud was once offered up to abolish the sinnes of ma­ny) hath made unto the [...] upon the Crosse. For it is certaine that thou wilt not the death of a sinner, but that he be converted and live: Thou bruisest not in thy displeasure those that thou hast redeemed by his [Page 499] death thou dost not pre­cipitate into that eternall gulfe those whom thou hast ingrafted and regene­rated in that great Media­tor and Saviour of the world, when as (calling upon thy mercy) they shal­be converted with their whole heart unto thee.

That when Satan our adversarie (who like a roa­ring Lion goeth about us, endeavouring to devoure us) maketh himself a party against this sick person in this his last conflict, setting before him the checkroule and catologue of his sinnes, and thy rigorous judgment to astonish and to precipi­tate [Page 500] him into despaire, give him grace to shield and ward himselfe as with a target and buckler, to repell and beat back the fierie darts of that enemie, with the truth and assurance, that the bloud of thy Sonne Ie­sus cleanseth from all sinne.

Fortifie then and ani­mate (O God of invinci­ble power, and our firme hope) this thy child with the strength of thy Holy Spirit at this present houre, that his soule being disbur­dened of the miseries which presse him, yea set free from the captivitie of his body, is ready to go un­to thee. And in that houre, [Page 501] wherin the earth claimeth in his person what we have borrowed of her, have pi­tie Lord on thine owne i­mage, and despise not the works of thy hands.

Behold, Lord, the teares, the plaints, the sighes, the groanes, and the contrition of the heart of this sicke person, and our prayers, that we may acknowledge in his person thy clemen­cy, the mother of our hope, thy succours, the source of our life: and that indeed thou art our sacred and sa­ving refuge.

And as for us which re­maine in this vale of mise­rie, graunt us this grace, [Page 502] that as thy people being captive in Babilon, had the comfort to direct and lift up their eyes towards Ie­rusalem, the place wherein thou didst manifest unto them thy glorious and gra­cious presence, that even so amidst the captivitie of this world, where we see no­thing but confusion, and where vice raigneth, and thy honour is dis-esteemed, we may have our eyes to­wards thee, as on the sole object and subject of our joy and rejoycing, seeing in thy face is the fulnes of joy, and at thy right hand are perfect pleasures for ever­more.

Even so, O thou God of inestimable bounty and goodnes, and who hast cho­sen us out of the world to follow thy holy will: we beseech thee that when thou shalt call us out of this world to place our soules in the company of those who by faith have o­vercome Kingdomes, have done righteousnesse, and have obtained the promi­ses, and who are written in the Booke of Life of the Lamb.

In the meane time, O Lord, arme us with pati­ence, and in the midst of our troubles make us sensible by a lively feeling that our [Page 504] light affliction, which is transient and soone over, produceth in us a waight of glory, wonderfully ex­cellent, and that leaving by death these visible things, which are but of small con­tinuance, we shall injoy those that are now invisi­ble to our eyes, which are abiding for ever in Iesus Christ, and by Iesus Christ: to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory for ever. Amen.

5. A Prayer when the sick is in some grievous perplexitie.

38. O God, and Father of all mercy, who art wise in thy counsels, true in thy word, and admirable in thy works: yea who kee­pest thy deare children as the apple of thine eye. In as much as now we see, that now it is, even at this time, that it wilbe thy pleasure to withdraw this thy sick child out of this mortall world. We beseech thee enter not into account with him to punish him, nor reprove him in thy dis­pleasure, [Page 506] neither chasten him in thy wrath: But re­member Lord, he hath beene called in thy Church and in the number of thine Elect, to be washed and sanctified by thy grace in the name of Iesus Christ, thy deare Sonne, who took upon him our griefs, and hath undergone the burden of our sorrowes, that by his wounds we might re­ceive health, whereof his baptisme hath beene the badge. Wash then, Lord, (who art in goodnesse most compleat) his soule in the innocent bloud of thy deare Sonne, in whose wounds and merits we inclose our [Page 507] present and future happi­nes, that being made cleane he may keep thee eternally in his sacred celestiall Tem­ple. Gracious Lord, and full of tender compassion, shew not forth thy strength at this time against a languishing body: arme not thy selfe unto venge­ance against one that can do nothing. Crush not in thine indignation him whom thou hast in thy goodnesse created after thine owne image: but ra­ther returning thy gracious countenance towards his sorrowes, make him pow­erfully sensible of thy cle­mencie, the mother of our [Page 508] hope, and thy love the source of our life.

Drive away Lord, by thy power all dreadfulnesse, all distrustfulnes, and doubts which Satan our adversarie can present unto this sick person, leave not at ran­dome (as prostituted unto that roaring Lion) this thy creature, regenerated and born anew in that great Sa­viour of the world, but ra­ther establish and comfort his soule: Strengthen his faith, redouble upon him in this last houre of his the forces of his Spirit, that with a truly Christian cou­rage he may repell and beat backe (thorough thy [Page 509] strength) all the assaults and temptations of the ene­mie, by the merit of thy deare Son, who was made man to save man, and whose soule was heavie, e­ven unto death, to deliver us from the hell of eternall fire, and from the horrour of the deep. O God of in­comparable bounty, the fountaine of joy and of e­ternall happines, ravish the mind of this sick per­son, even unto the heavens, and shew unto him the share of those inestimable graces which thy Son our Redeemer hath purchased for us with thee, give him grace to die in the hope of [Page 510] the future resurrection of our bodies, and powerfully to comprehend how the resurrection of thy Sonne is the bud of our blessed im­mortality, yea the speciall gage of eternall life, and of our holy glorification.

And unto us that shall yet remaine in this world, give grace, that expecting our last day, which shalbe the first of our rest, and the end of our miseries, that our contentment may not be elswhere then under the covert of thy grace, let our soules breath nothing but the sweetnes of thy love: and let the continuall desire of living in the admiration [Page 511] of the contemplation of thy divine beauties, which thou hast reserved for thine Elect. Let it be the fervent desire, and the sole vote of our hearts, that dai­ly dying in Adam by the mortifying of our flesh, to be borne anew in Iesus Christ, we may feele more and more by thy grace, our carnall concupiscences re­pressed, our faith inflamed, and our hearts cheered by thy singular blessings, which thou powrest out daily (with a hand more then liberall) upon them that feare thee. Which we crave of thee in the name of thy deare Son: O our [Page 512] Father which [...] in heaven, &c.

6. A Prayer directed unto Iesus Christ, the Great and Soveraigne Shepheard of our Soules, for the Sick that is in extremity.

39. LOrd Iesus, our sole and only Re­deemer, who lovest thine with an eternall love, and who camest downe from heaven to raise us up to heaven, who tookest our humane nature upon thee to make us the children of God: Who borest upon thy back the burthen of our sins, to discharge us of [Page 513] them: and who as a cele­stiall. Pelican, after thou hadst pierced thy sides with the edge of thy love, to make thy Vermilian Bloud distill forth to heale our mortall wounds, and to drowne our sins in the sea of thy mercies, callest us to come unto thee, promising to ease all those that are heavie laden and travell; as­suring them they shall find rest for their soules.

We beseech thee from the bottome of our hearts O Soveraigne Physitian of our soules, who camest not for the whole and the righteous, but for the sicke, and for sinners, to [Page 514] strengthen the faith of this thy sick child, redoubling the strength of his Spirit, to overcome all feares, to van­quish all dangers, and to re­pell the Alarums of Satan, and all the assaults of his temptations.

And seeing that the de­sire of this sicke person is before thee, and that his sorrowes are not hid from thee, forsake him not, and be not farre from succou­ring of him, but turning thy mercifull countenance towards his griefs, make him powerfully sensible of thy succours in joy and in salvation, that he may dis­pose himselfe, and we also, [Page 515] when it shall please thee to call us, to die to thee, to live againe in thee, O God of our deliverance.

We confesse O thou So­veraigne Redeemer, that our sins were infinite, be­cause Adam had offended against thee Infinite. We likewise acknowledge that for the same there was re­quisite an infinite satisfacti­on: which neither Angels, nor men, nor any finite creature could accomplish: But thy bloud, O Saviour of the world, who by thy eternall Spirit offered thee unto God thy Father, thy selfe without all blemish, and who art of an infinite [Page 516] price, art alone able to cleanse our consciences from dead works, to serve the living God.

And seeing that by this inestimable redemption thy Name is unto thy faithfull ones a perfume spread forth abroad and powred out: and that thy divinitie joy­ned unto our humanitie in one person, is our sole com­fort, and the certain pledge of our union and reconcili­ation with God: We be­seech thee to present unto thy Father (as a sweet o­dour for this sick person) the merits of thy Passion, seeing that thy righteous­nes wherewith thou justi­fiest [Page 517] sinners is not only of inestimable vertue to san­ctifie us, but also thy death is incomparably admirable to quicken us.

And in as much as the death of thy beloved ones is precious before thy Fa­ther, when he looketh upon thee. We beseech thee to blesse the death of this our brother, covering him with the mantle of thy pro­tection, a mantle farre more excellent then that of Eli­as: that securely he may passe the torrent and vio­lent streame of this life, to come unto thy holy moun­taine, and to drink of that spirituall sweetnesse, with [Page 518] thine Elect, of the fountaine of life in heaven.

O Saviour of the world, the lively brightnes of the eternall glory of the Fa­ther, who camest downe from the highest pitch of the celestiall mountaines to seek the lost sheep, and to inclose him, after thou hadst found him, in the parks of thy sacred custo­dy, save now, and protect the soule of this thy sheep, to the end the infernall wolfe devoure him not, but accomplish thine owne desire, touching those whom the Father hath gi­ven thee, seat it and bestow it with thee in the place of [Page 519] consolation, to the end that with all the happy spirits, which have imbraced the merits of thy Passion, it may behold that eternall glory, which the Father, who loveth thee, and who alwayes heareth thee, hath given thee before the foun­dation of the world. To thee then the Redeemer of the world, with the Father in the unitie of the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory for evermore. So be it.

7. Another Prayer, where­in supplication is made unto God to assist with his holy Spirit the Sick in his agonie.

40. O Lord God, and most gracious Father when we enter into a serious consideration of our estate, certaine it is, that we are in this world, as upon a rough and tem­pestuous sea: and that the winds and storms of temp­tations advance themselves and arise every minute a­gainst us, and therefore is it that we humbly beseech thee that in this perillous [Page 521] passage thy Spirit may con­duct and strengthen our brittle vessell, that by the assistance thereof at the last we may happily arive at the haven of eternall salva­tion.

And especially we be­seech thee for this thy sicke child, to the end it may please thee to imprint by the effectuall power of thy Holy Spirit more and more in his heart charity, and the love of thy Sonne, in whose name we have re­mission of our sinnes, that Persevering with invinci­ble constancie unto the end in the faith, and confession of the Name of his Saviour [Page 522] he may find undoubtedly in him whatsoever is re­quisite unto his assured blessednes.

Let that thy Spirit, which inflameth that which is cold, which ere­cteth what is fallen, which giveth breath unto that which is weary, cheare up by his vertue the feeblenes of this sick person, and pro­duce in him ardent sighs, Which may be dissolved in­to the sweet raine of teares, fruitfull unto his soule. Let the Same thy Spirit be un­to this sick person that which it was unto Elias, the whirle-wind, and the chariot of fire, wherein he [Page 523] may be carried up to hea­ven. Let it be the same that was the New Starre to the Wisemen of the East, that by the guiding thereof he may come unto Iesus Christ, not laid in the man­ger not any more passible, but glorious and risen a­gaine, sitting at thy right hand, above all powers and principalitie, victorious o­ver death, triumphant over hell; and Head, and Con­summatour of our faith. And as thou shewedst unto three of thy Apostles in the mountaine, when as thy Sonne was transfigured, having his face shining as a radiant Sun, a skantling and [Page 524] patterne of the glory and celestiall beauty, which they should injoy, whom thou hast chosen and incor­porated into thy said Son. So we beseech thee that du­ring the small time which remaineth for us to passe the course of this life, it may please thee to give us a continuall tast of that hea­venly happinesse, and an ho­ly sense of thy glory, with a firme and an assured peace of conscience, founded up­on thy love, to walke in the strength of this consolation unto thy holy mountaine.

For in as much as this world is but a pilgrimage, and a way wherein there is [Page 525] nothing to be found firme, and wherein the more that men digge to build in it, the more do they find un­stable sand, and unconstant agitations. Where ought we Lord, to seeke for the true foundation of our ex­pectation and hope, but in heaven? And seeing that where the body is, thither gather together the Eagles, We beseech thee to raise up aloft the heart of this sicke person, and ours unto thee, that thy love may be a precious ointment to make us run and aspire after thee.

If David in the midst of his great riches thought [Page 526] himselfe a stranger and a forraigner as his Fathers, if he said that his dayes were as a shadow upon the earth, wherein there is no stay, if he looked upon his Royall Pallace as upon an Inne, whereout he was e­very houre to dislodge: if he looked upon his Throne as upon a seat which he must leave and resigne over to another. And if looking upon his Crowne, as on a thing which was subject to fade in these terrestriall pla­ces, he breathed after an incorruptible Crowne of glory, how much more ought we out of the midst of the dust of this world to [Page 527] desire and to breathe af­ter that glorious eternall Crowne, where our heavi­nes shalbe turned into glad­nes: our poverty into eter­nall riches: and our igno­minie into incorruptible honours.

Graunt us this grace then, O great God, not on­ly to despise the things which the world admires, but also make us to take patiently the afflictions which invirone and assault us, whilst we run this our mortall race.

For seeing thou hast or­dained that they whom thou hast chosen should be made like to the image of [Page 528] thy Sonne, not only in suf­fering, but also in glory: graunt us grace firmely to be sensible of in this world, and truly to injoy in the o­ther the effect of this holy promise, which thy Sonne who is holy, and true, hath made unto those that par­take in his afflictions, namely that he will give unto him that shall over­come, to sit with him upon his Throne, so as he also that hath overcome, sit­teth upon the Throne of his Father.

For it is certaine, if we beare here below the Crosse of his Son, we shall weare also the Crowne of [Page 529] glory with him in heaven. That if we drink gall and vinegar out of the cup of his Passion, we shalbe wate­red and thorowly moiste­ned with the rivers of his pleasures; and if we beare in our bodies the mortificati­on of the Lord Iesus, even so also the life of y ^e Lord Iesus shalbe manifested in our mortal flesh: & then al of us casting forth bright beams of glory, and shining with splendor, we shalbe not on­ly like unto Angels, but e­ven withall we shalbe like unto thee, to injoy thorow thee and with thee, that thy glory and felicitie, the which (because our words [Page 530] fall farre short of our thoughts yet shorter of the greatnesse therof) eye can­not behold, eare cannot heare, nor heart compre­hend.

Graunt us these things, O God, who art goodnes it self, love it self, & holines it self, who givest us what ere we have, & wilt give us out of thy bounty and mercy the fruition of what ere we hope for in all eternity, tho­row thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost, be honor and glory.

Our Father which art in heaven, &c.

A prayer to be said after the sicke hath rendred his soule unto God, for the com­fort of the by-standers.

41. O God and most merciful Father, who hast created all things without necessitie, who go­vernest them without la­bour, and who changest them, thou thy selfe being unchangeable, and whose sacred and perfect will is daily done on earth, as in heaven. We thank thee for this, that it hath plea­sed thee to withdraw unto thee the soule of our bro­ther, [Page 532] making us to know in his death what our infirmi­ty is: and making us to behold, as in a glasse the ac­complishment of thine ir­revocable sentence, by which dust must returne to dust, and the soule goe to heaven, to him that gave it.

Graunt us this grace, that this death may serve to make a serious impressi­on in our thoughts, not onely how his day is this day to die, ours shalbe tomorrow, and that as the last of our dayes shalbe the first of our rest: Yet, that the death of the righteous is the sun-set of their woes, and the sun-rising of their [Page 533] felicities: but herewithall it may be also unto us an example to contemne this world where we do but offend thee: to breath after (with our whole hearts) the celestiall Ierusalem, wherein we shall injoy with Iesus Christ our Spouse unspeakeable and e­ternall pleasures, whose ex­cellencies surpasse all un­derstanding, according to that holy promise, which he hath made us, to be gone up thither, there to prepare us a place, to be with him injoying eternall glory.

Expecting then that most happy houre, when thou wilt call us out of this [Page 534] world, and where our sal­vation, which is shut up in hope, shalbe fully revealed unto us: Inable us power­fully to comprehend the excellencie of our Calling, and what are the riches of thy glory in that heavenly inheritance of thy Saints: and what the excellent greatnes of that power is to us ward, that believe thorow operation of the power of thy strength, which thou hast effectually exprest in thy Sonne Iesus Christ, when thou raisedst him from the dead, and ma­dest him sit at thy right hand in heavenly places, a­bove all principalitie and [Page 535] power, strength, and do­minion: and above every name which is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. To the end, that be­ing strengthened and cor­roborated in the inward man, we might walk on as becommeth that Calling whereunto we are called, in all humilitie and meeknes: and with a patient mind, bearing with one another in deare love, being care­full to keepe the Vnitie of the Spirit in the Bond of peace, seeing we are called into the hope of our Cal­ling. To thee O great God, Father of all, which art [Page 536] above all, amongst all, and in us all: with thy Sonne in the unitie of the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory for ever. Amen.