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for fear of Death died as certainly as Porcia, that ate burning Coals, or Cato, that cut his own Throat. To die is neceffary and natural, and it may be honourable; but to die poorly, and bafely, and finfully, that alone is it that can make a man unfortunate. No man can be a Slave, but he that fears Pain, or fears to die. To fuch a man nothing but chance and peaceable Times can fecure his Duty, and he depends upon things without for his Felicity; and fo is well but during the pleafure of his Enemy, or a Thief, or a Tyrant, or it may be of a Dog, or a wild Bull.

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Prayers for the feveral Graces and Parts
of Chriftian Sobriety.

A Prayer against fenfuality.

Eternal Father, thou that fitteft in Heaven, invefted with effential Glories and Divine perfections, my Soul with fo deep a sense of the excellencies of fpiritual and heavenly things, that my affections being weaned from the pleafures of the world, and the falle allurements of fin, I may with great feverity and the prudence of a holy difcipline and strict defires, with clear refolutions and a free fpirit, have my converfation in Heaven and heavenly employments; that being in affections as in my condition a Pilgrim and a ftranger here, I may covet after and labour for an abiding City, and at last may enter into and forever dwell in the Celestial Jerufalem, which is the mother of us all, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen,

For Temperance.

Almighty God and gracious Father of men and Angels, who openeft thy hand and filleft all things with plenty, and haft provided for thy fervant fufficient to fatisfie all my needs; teach me to use thy creatures foberly and temperately, that I may not with

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loads of meat or drink make the temptations of my enemy to prevail upon me, or my fpirit unapt for the performance of my duty, or my body healthiefs, or my affections fenfual and unholy. O my God, never fuffer that the bleffings which thou giveft me may either minifter to fin or fickness, but to health and holinefs and thanksgiving, that in the strength of thy provifions I may chearfully and actively and diligently ferve thee, that I may worthily teaft at thy table here, and be accounted worthy, through thy grace, to be admitted to thy table hereafter at the eternal fupper of the Lamb, to fing an Allelujah to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen.

For Chastity: to be faid especially by unmar-
ried perfons.

Almighty God, our most holy and eternal Father, who art of pure eyes, and canft behold no uncleannefs; let thy gracious and holy Spirit defcend upon thy fervant, and reprove the fpirit of Fornication and Uncleannefs, and caft him out, that my Body may be a holy Temple, and my Soul a Sanctuary to entertain the PRINCE of Purities, the holy and eternal Spirit of God. O let no impure thoughts pollute that Soul which God hath fanctified; no unclean words pollute that tongue which God hath commanded to be an Organ of his praises; no unholy and unchaft action rend the veil of that Temple where the holy Jefus hath been pleafed to enter, and hath chofen for his habitation: but feal up all my fentes from all vain objects, and let them be entirely poffeffed with Religion, and fortified with prudence, watchfulness and mortification; that I, poffeffing my veffel in holinefs, may let it down with a holy hope, and receive it again in a joyful refurrection, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen,

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A Prayer

A Prayer for the Love of God, to be faid by Virgins and Widows, profeffed or refolved fo to live : and may be used by any one.

Holy and pureft Jefus, who wert pleased to efpoufe every holy Soul, and join it to thee with a holy Union and myfterious Inftruments of religious Society and Communications; O fill my Soul with Religion and defires, holy as the Thoughts of Cherubim, paffionate beyond the love of Women; that I may love thee as much as ever any Creature loved thee, even with all my Soul, and all my Faculties, and all the Degrees of every Faculty: Let me know no loves but thofe of Duty and Charity, Obedience and Devotion; that I may for ever run after thee, who art the King of Virgins, and with whom whole Kingdoms are in love, and for whofe fake Queens have died, and at whofe Feet Kings with joy have laid their Crowns and Scepters. My Soul is thine, O deareft Jefu, thou art my Lord, and haft bound up my Eyes and Heart from all ftranger Affections; give me for my Dowry Purity and Humility, Modefty and Devotion, Charity and Patience, and at laft bring me into the Bridechamber to partake of the felicities, and to lie in the Bofom of the Bridegroom to eternal Ages, O holy and fweetest Saviour Jefus. Amen.

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A Prayer to be faid by Married Perfons, in behalf of themfelves and each other."

Eternal and gracious Father, who hast confecra

ted the holy Eftate of Marriage to become my fterious, and to reprélent the Union of Chrift and his Church, let thy holy Spirit fo guide me in the doing the Duties of this State, chat it may not become a fin unto me, nor that Liberty which thou haft hallowed by the holy Jefus become an occafion of licentioufnels by my own Weaknefs and Sentuality: and do thou forgive all thofe irregularities, and too fenfual Applications which may have in any degree difcompofed my

fpirit and the feverity of a Chriftian. Let me in all accidents and circumftances be fevere in my duty towards Thee, affectionate and dear to my Wife [or Husband] a guide and good example to my family, and in all quietnefs, fobriety, prudence and peace, a follower of thofe holy pairs who have ferved Thee with godlinefs and a good teftimony. And the bleffings of the eternal God, bleffings of the right-hand and of the left, be upon the body and foul of thy ferVant my Wife, [or Husband,] and abide upon her [or him] till the end of a holy or happy life; and grant that both of us may live together for ever in the embraces of the holy and eternal Jefus, our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

A Prayer for the grace of Humility.

Holy and most gracious Master and Saviour Jefus, who by thy example and by thy precept, by the practice of a whole life and frequent difcourfes, didft command us to be meek and humble, in imitation of thy incomparable sweetness and great humility; be pleased to give me the grace as thou haft given me the commandment: enable me to do whatfoever thou commandeft, and command whatfoever thou pleaseft. O mortifie in me all proud thoughts and vain opinions of my felf: let me return to Thee the acknowledgment and the fruits of all thofe good things thou haft given me, that by confeffing I am wholly in debr to Thee for them, I may not boaft my felf for what I have received, and for what I am highly accountable: and for what is my own, teach me to be ashamed and humbled, it being nothing but fin and mifery, weaknefs and uncleannels. Let me go before my brethren in nothing but in ftriving to do them honour and Thee glory, never to feek my own praife, never to delight in it when it is offered; that defpifing my felf, I may be accepted by Thee in the honours with which thou shalt crown thy humble and defpifed fervants, for Jefus his fake, in the kingdom of eternal glory. Amen.

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Acts of Humility and Modefty, by way of
Prayer and Meditation.

I.

Lord, I know that my fpirit is light and thorny, my body is brutish and exposed to sickness; I am conftant to folly, and inconftant in holy purposes. My labours are vain and fruitlefs; my fortune full of change and trouble, feldom pleafing, never perfect; my wifdom is folly; being ignorant even of the parts and paffions of my own body: And what am I, o Lord, before thee, but a miferable perfon, hugely in debt, not able to pay?

II.

Lord, I am nothing, and I have nothing of my self: I am lefs than the leaft of all thy mercies.

III.

What was I before my birth? First, nothing, and then uncleannefs. What during my childhood? weaknefs and folly. What in my youth? folly ftill and paffion, luft and wildness. What in my whole life? a great finner, a deceived and an abufed perfon. Lord, pity me, for it is thy goodness that I am kept from confufion and amazement, when I confider the mifery and shame of my perfon, and the defilements of my

nature.

IV.

Lord, what am I? and, Lord, what art thou? What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the (on of man, that thou fo regardest him?

V.

How can man be juftified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? Behold, even to the Moon, and it fhineth not, yea, the Stars are not pure in his fight: How much less man that is a worm, and the fon of man which is a worm? Job 25. 4, &e:

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