Sacred principles, services, and soliloquies or, a manual of devotions made up of three parts: I. The grounds of Christian religion, and the doctrine of the Church of England, as differing from the now-Roman. II. Daily, and weekly formes of prayers fortified with Holy Scriptures, meditations and rules to keep the soule from the common roads of sin, and carry it on in a mortified course. III. Seven charges to conscience, delivering (if not the whole body) the main limbs of divinity, which is the art not of disputing, but living well.

Prayer against the Plague.

O Lord! Pestilence is thy Ar∣row, and my sins have made mee thy marke; nor canst thou misse me in thy justice: But spare me, Lord spare me in thy mercy! Though I deserve the stroke for my selfe, spare me for my Saviours sake; let his innocency be my shield, and his blood my antidote: (O Lord, I have, I wish no other antidote or shield!) By the soveraigne and all-sa∣ving merits of his I beseech thee, par∣don my sinne, and spare my life.

Spare my soule, that it may better serve thee: spare my body that it may better serve my soule: spare my heart, that I may keepe it more carefully for thee: spare my blood, that my spirits may be more active to serve thee.

And as I pray Pestilence from my body, so I beseech thee keep it from my soule. Preserve me from the house, and shield me from the chaire of pesti∣lence.

As from infected Bodies, so from Spirits, which breath errors and vices, pests and plagues of souls: From all mutuall diseases defend me, Body and Soule; but from those fearfull ones, above all, I beseech thee. And all those thou hast made neare and deare unto me, deare Saviour doe it for thy mercies sake. Amen.

Prayer for one infected with the Plague.

I Am struck, O God, and by thy hand! I beseech thee let me bleed in thy Armes; in thy Armes of mercy, let me depart if I must die; but Lord, embrace me with thy favour, that I may live! live out this danger, and see thy deliverance; out-live my sins, and doe thee more service. Meane while, mercy, Lord, for Jesus his sake; mercy to thy poore Servant: pardon to my sinne, comfort to my spirit, acceptance to my repentance, strength to my faith, life to my charity, salvation to my soule; that whether I live, or die, I may be thine, O Lord! who to redeem and save me, didst both live, and die: in virtue of thy blood, that sole and soveraigne antidote and sanctuary of

bleeding Sinners, thy deare and preti∣ous blood, let my soule live, if my bo∣dy die: but (if thy blessed will) both live, to praise thy goodnesse to both. Lord cast my sins behind thy back, and hold me in thy Armes. Into thy Armes of mercy I cast my self (Body & Soul) my onely hope, and refuge, and rock of my salvation, is in thy blessed merits, and blood deare Jesus! take me, and keep me in thy Armes, now and ever, and especially in my last hower and agonie, have mercy on me I beseech thee. Amen, Amen.

Thanksgiving for one recovered of the Plague.

THou hast smitten, and thou hast healed me, O my God! the blow was grievous, thy help is greater: the blow was just, thy help more gracious: my sinnes deserved death, thy mercy hath spared my life. O Lord, with an humble, thankfull soule, I doe acknow∣ledge (as ever, so now especially) from thy good hand my present life and health. And now I humbly beseech thee that my heart may smite me that I have ever rebelled against so good a Majestie; and thy grace keep me, that

I never more lift up my hand against so great a goodnesse. O let not the pestilence goe from my body, to my soule! let not Satan and corruption poyson & perswade my spirit, to sit in the chaire or stay in the house of pe∣stilence: Let not others be infected with sinne by me, nor me by them, lest thou be more provoked; and the plague gone, returne in a greater judg∣ment. My God, my help, my health, my hope, my life and comfort, be thy Name ever blessed that hast spared my soule and life: O let it be no more dis∣honoured by me! that keeping from the infection of an evill world, I may live in the blisse of a better; where is neither sinne nor sicknesse to infect soule or body, but perfect health, strength, grace, and glory in thee and with thee to all eternity: O Jesus, my onely refuge, and the horne of my sal∣vation! So be it, Amen, Amen,