and the Honey-comb Moreover by them is thy servant taught and in keeping of them there is great reward Who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou me from my secret faults Keep thy servant also from presumtuous sins left they get the dominion over me so shall I be undefiled and innocent from the great offence Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be always acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my Redeemer Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen The Song of Zachary BLessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people Luke 1. 68. And hath raised up a mighty Salvation for us in the House of his Servant David As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the world began That we should be saved from our enemies and from the hands of all that hate us To perform the mercy promised to our Forefathers and to remember his holy Covenant To perform the Oath which he sware to our Forefather Abraham that he would give us That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life And thou Child shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways To give knowledge of Salvation to his people for the remission of their sins Through the tender mercy of our God whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen BLessed be thy holy Name O Lord who hast shewed me the light of thy countenance and hast delivered me from the darkness and dangers of this night and refreshed me with quiet sleep and raised me up again as it were from the grave and restored me to life and the joyful light of another day Give me grace to make it a resurrection to newness of life also that I may spend this day and all that thou shalt yet be pleased to add to it in thy Service to the Glory of thy Name and the Good of my own Soul O Lord blot out as a nightmist mine iniquities and scatter my sins as a morning cloud Isai 44. 22. Grant that I may become a Child of the Light and of the Day that I may walk soberly chastly and honestly as in the day Open thou mine eyes that I may see incline my heart that I may affect and order my steps that I may walk and run in the way of thy Commandements Hold me fast and keep me close by thee Guide me with thy Hand Uphold me when I am falling lift me up when I am down Reduce me when I go astray and hedge in my way that I find not the path to follow after vanity Keep me in all my ways and defend me from all the dangers and evils of this day O Lord preserve my going out and coming in from this time for evermore And now O Lord I offer up my self a living Sacrifice unto thee beseeching thee mercifully and graciously to receive me Cleanse me from all my Pollutions heal all my infirmities and sanctifie all the Powers and Faculties of my Soul and Body to thy service this day that in all my thoughts words and works I may always have an eye to that Supreme end of my Creation and so order the whole course of my life that I may be always ready and prepared for death and that severe account which I must one day make unto thee that so I may do it with joy and not with sorrow and receive that Crown which thou hast promised to them that persevere unto the end Heb. 13. 17. And with my self I commend unto thee all whom any bond of Nature or Freindship or Religion commands me to pray for especially and all that have at any time done good to me thou O Lord do good to them and reward them seven-fold into their bosom Preserve us O Lord from all evil O Lord I beseech thee keep our Souls keep us from falling and present us faultless before the presence of thy Glory at that day And the Peace of God which passeth all understanding keep our hearts and minds in the Knowledge and Love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. And the Blessing of God Almighty the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost be with us this day the rest of our lives and for evermore Amen OF PUBLICK PRAYER AT THE THIRD HOVR Psal 119. 9. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way Even by ruling himself after thy Word Psal 111. 10. The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom A good understanding have all they that do thereafter The praise of it endureth for ever NOW as Private Prayer hath this Promise of our Saviour that being performed in the Closet secretly it shall yet be rewarded openly so much more when two or three are gathered together in his Name hath he promised to be in the midst of them and hear their requests This therefore being the usual Hour wherein the Publick Service of the Church is every day to be celebrated this Private Form is far from any purpose to supplant the use or pretence to supply the want of that Which though it be now by the Children of this generation shamefully east out of the House of God yet certainly all true Children of the Church will receive it into their own Houses and make their Family their Congregation But they that want even this Convenience also may yet at least perform their part of the Publick Duty in the Privacy of their Closet and comfort themselves with this Consideration that the Prayers which are sent up from never so divers aud distant places on Earth yet all meet together in the High Court of Heaven The following Form therefore is intended for no more than a Preparation to the Publick And so likewise at the Fifth Hour whereon the Evening Service of the Church is to be celebrated THE THIRD HOUR OF PRAYER AT THE Third Hour of the Day About IX in the Morning HEar my Prayer O God and hide not thy self from my Petition OUR Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from all evil For thine is the Kingdom the Power
thy Creation Thou wert yet pleased to find out a means of Redemption and Reconciliation by the death and satisfaction of thine own only Son And hast farther vouchsafed in some measure to shed abroad in our hearts the good gifts and graces of thy holy Spirit to excite inable and incourage us in the performance of thy Service here and to seal to us the good hope of eternal happiness with Thee hereafter That Thou hast vouchsafed me to be born of Christian Parents and brought up in the bosom of thy Church and nourished with the sincere milk of thy word and to live under the glorious Sun-shine of thy Gospel That Thou hast bestowed on me sufficient endowments and abilities of Nature as soundness of mind and health of body and withal a competence of means comfort of friends and other conveniences and contentments of life That Thou hast preserved me from my Childhood until now from all mischiefs and dangers and hast not cut me off in the midst of my sins but allowed me space of Repentance and brought me safe thus far of my life to this present day These and all other thine innumerable and inestimable mercies O Lord as we had nothing in us to deserve them so have we nothing to return for them but an acknowledgment of our extreme unworthiness of any the least of them We therefore offer up our selves unto Thee beseeching thee graciously to receive us and sanctifie thy mercies to us and us to thy service that we may make use of them to the honour and glory of thy Name and the eternal good of our own Souls O Holy Lord God that knowest our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking have mercy upon our infirmities pass by and pardon the imperfections of our Prayers bow down thy gentle ear and hear and grant these our requests as shall seem good to Thee And whatsoever else thou knowest more useful or expedient for me or any of thy servants Thou that knowest to give good gifts we beseech Thee chuse for us and give us those things And all for His sake who hath given us confidence to come unto Thee and ask in His name and hath taught us to summ up all our Prayers in his own words saying OUR Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily Bread and forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into temptation but diliver us from Evil. For Thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen Numb 6. 24. The Lord bless us and keep us The Lord make his face to shine upon us and be gracious unto us The Lord lift up his countenance upon us and give us Peace 2 Cor. 13. 14. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with us all Amen THE SEVEN HOURS OF PRAYER FOR EVERY DAY Psal 119. 164. Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgements Psal 119. 62. At midnight will I rise to give thanks unto thee NOW for the Times of Prayer our Saviours Counsel is that men ought always to pray and not to faint adding a Parable to shew us the virtue of Importunity S. Paul's is agreeable Praying always and without ceasing that is frequently and constantly Among the Ancients it was no less than seven times a day Nay David and S. Paul add the eighth at Midnight so that every third hour of the Night as well as of the Day was begun with the solemnity of Prayer And this Pattern I have thought worthy to be commended to the practice of all pious Christians For the having so often recourse to Heaven must need make us more careful of our conversation on Earth Yet this without any design of laying a burthen upon those whose Occasions or Devotion will not so often serve them only wishing that they who cannot afford so many though so small portions of the day to their Maker would yet joyn with David and Daniel at least three times a day or at the least of leasts twice that the outgoings of the Morning and Evening may praise him The rest may be supplied by lifting up the eyes of their Souls to Heaven with some short and hearty Ejaculation though in midst of any Employment of any Company THE FIRST HOUR OF PRAYER AT THE Morning Watch or Cock-Crowing About III. in the Morning Ephes 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Rom. 13. 12. The night is far spent the day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light Ephes 5. 11. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness O God thou art my God early will I seek thee Psal 63. 1. My soul flieth unto the Lord before the Morning Watch I say before the Morning Watch Psal 130. 6. Have I not remembred thee in my bed and thought upon thee when I was waking Psal 63. 7. Mine eyes prevent the Night Watches that I might meditate in thy word Psal 119. 148. OUR Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen O Lord open thou my lips And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Psal 51. 15. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Psal 139. O Lord thou hast searched me out and known me thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising thou understandest my thoughts long before Thou art about my path and about my bed and spiest out all my ways For lo there is not a word in my tongue but thou O Lord knowest it altogether Thou hast fashioned me behind and before and laid thine hand upon me Such knowledge is too wonderful and excellent for me I cannot attain unto it Whither shall I go then from thy Spirit or whither shall I go then from thy Presence If I climb up into Heaven thou art there if I go down to Hell thou art there also If I take the wings of the morning and remain in the uttermost parts of the Sea Even there also shall thy Hand lead me and thy Right Hand shall hold me If I say peradventure the darkness shall cover me then shall my night be turned to day Yea the darkness is no darkness with thee but the night is as clear as the day the darkness and light to
but as yesterday seeing that is past as a watch in the night As soon as thou scatterest them they are even as a sleep and fade away suddenly like the grass In the morning it is green and groweth up but in the evening it is cut down dried up and withered For we consume away in thy displeasure and are afraid at thy wrathful indignation Thou hast set our misdeeds before thee and our secret sins in the sight of thy countenance For when Thou art angry all our days are gone we bring our years to an end as it were a tale that is told The days of our age are threescore years and ten and though men be so strong that they come to fourscore years yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow so soon passeth it away and we are gone But who regardeth the power of thy wrath for even thereafter as a man feareth so is thy displeasure O teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom Turn Thee again O Lord at the last and be gracious unto thy servants O satisfie us with thy mercy and that soon so shall we rejoyce and be glad all the days of our life Comfort us again now after the time that thou hast plagued us and for the years wherein we have suffered adversity Shew thy servants thy work and their children thy glory And the glorious Majesty of the Lord our God be upon us Prosper Thou the work of our hands upon us O prosper Thou our handy-work Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen The Song of S. Mary MY soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour For he hath regarded the lowliness of his hand-maiden For behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed For he that is Mighty hath magnified me and Holy is his name And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations He hath shewed strength with his arm he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts He hath put down the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble and meek He hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away He remembring his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel as he promised to our forefathers Abraham and his seed for ever Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it wrs in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen O Lord God who hast created the light and darkness and by the continual interchanges of day and night puttest us in mind of our transitory condition and the shortness of our abode here Give us grace to set our selves about the work of salvation while the day of salvation lasteth that when the night of death cometh and our Lord shall call us to account we may receive the reward of good and faithful servants and enter into the joy of our Master Jesus Christ Amen NOW our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace comfort our hearts and stablish us in every good word and work To Him be glory for ever and ever Amen THE SEVENTH HOUR OF PRAYER AT Bed-Time About IX at Night Mark 13. 33. Take ye heed watch and pray for ye know not when the time is Mat. 26. 41. Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Job 1. 21. Naked came I out of my mothers womb and naked shall I return thither Chap. 14. 12. Man lieth down and riseth not till the heavens be no more they shall not awake nor be raised out of their sleep EVENING I. AS you began so end the day with God in thanks and praise that he hath graciously preserved you hitherto and in prayer to him that he will vouchsafe still to continue his mercy and protection to you II. Remember that your days are but a span long that in the midst of life you are in death and every day brings you nearer to that long night III. Consider that perhaps many others no worse than you have this day been cut off in the midst of their days and sins and cast into the place of darkness yet the long-suffering of God hath spared you until now to make up your accounts IV. Shew your self truly thankful for this inestimable favour by making right use of it spending the time which is given you in doing some good in working while it is called to day before the night cometh wherein no man can work V. The Evening of the day is now come upon you and for ought you know the end of your life may be as nigh at hand when you shall be called to account how you have spent your time here VI. Begin therefore with your self before-hand When you have done with the world and all business and company and are retired to your privacy and quiet sit down and call your self to a strict account how you have spent this day what you have done what you have left undone what good you have neglected what evil you have committed Where you perceive you have done well give thanks to God and ascribe it and all the Honour of it to him alone who hath enabled you to perform it working in you both to will and to do Where you have omitted your duty or otherwise done ill confess and humble your self before him and earnestly desire pardon and reconciliation If you have wronged or offended any one this day desire God to forgive you and resolve to make satisfaction If any one have wronged or offended you freely forgive them and desire God to confirm your pardon by adding his How can he sleep at quiet that is not at peace with God and in charity with the World And consider that if this be done constantly and sincerely every night whensoever it shall please God to call you to judgment you will have but one day to answer for VII The Son of Man cometh as a thief in the night at an hour when you are not aware be careful that he may find you watching and imployed about his Service Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Mat. 24. 46. Evening Prayer IN the night I lift up my hands towards thy Sanctuary and bless thy Name Psal 134. 2 3. The Lord hath granted his loving kindness in the day-time and in the night-season also will I sing of him and make my prayer unto the God of my life Psal 42. 10. As long as I live will I magnifie thee in this manner and lift up my hands in thy Name Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the Incense and let the lifting up of my hands be an Evening Sacrifice Psal 14. 1 2.
OUR Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily Bread and forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from Evil. For Thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen O Lord open thou my lips And my mouth shall shew forth thy Praise Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Psal 91. WHoso dwelleth under the defence of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty I will say unto the Lord Thou art my hope and my strong hold my God in him will I trust For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter and from the noisom pestilence He shall defend thee under his wings and thou shalt be safe under his feathers His Faithfulness and Truth shall be thy shield and buckler Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night nor for the arrow that flieth by day For the pestilence that walketh in darkness nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-day A thousand shall fall beside thee and ten thousand at thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thee Yea with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the ungodly For thou Lord art my hope thou hast set thine house of defence very high There shall no evil happen unto thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling For he shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways They shall hear thee in their hands that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone Thou shalt go upon the Lion and Adder the young Lion and the Dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet Because he hath set his love upon me therefore shall I deliver him I shall set him up because he hath known my Name He shall call upon me and I will hear him yea I am with him in trouble I will deliver him and bring him to Honour With long life will I satisfie him and shew him my Salvation Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Psal 121. I Will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help My help cometh from the Lord which hath made Heaven and Earth He will not suffer thy foot to be moved and he that keepeth thee will not sleep Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep The Lord himself is thy Keeper the Lord is thy defence upon the right hand So that the Sun shall not burn thee by day neither the Moon by night The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil yea it is even he that shall keep thy Soul The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth for evermore Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen The Song of Simeon LOrd now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy Word Luke 2. 29. For mine eyes have seen thy Salvation Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people To be a Light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the Glory of thy people Israel Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen BLessed be thy holy Name O Lord my God who hast shewed me the light of thy countenance and caused me to see thy goodness in the land of the living who hast preserved me in all my ways and delivered me from all the dangers and evils of this day and brought me safe thus far of my life to the beginning of this night O Lord I beseech thee forsake me not in the vanishing of my days but still contiuue the protection of thy gracious hand upon me be thou my light and defence my guide and guard through the valley of misery and tears and the shadow of death to that Holy Hill where thine Honour and our Rest dwelleth Give me grace to remember the many days of darkness and prevent the long night of Death by a timely preparation for it that being always ready and provided whensoever thou shalt call me to judgment I may give an acceptable account how I have spent my time here Lord as we add days to our days so we add sins to our sins Father I have sinned against Heaven and against thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son Luke 15. 21. But I will confess my wickedness and be sorry for my sins Psal 30. 18. Here make a particular Confession of the sins you have committed this day or since your last solemn account THus have I wandred from the right way of thy Commandments walking after the foolish Imaginations of mine own corrupt heart and wearying my self in the by-ways of vanity and wickedness all the day long But now O Lord I desire to turn from my evil ways and evening after evening I return to thee with all my heart and seek thy face O hide not thou thy face from me nor cast thy servant away in displeasure Out of the deep my soul crieth unto thee O hear my voice and have mercy upon me Have mercy upon me O Lord after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin Forgive and put away all mine offences and abominations for the merits and satisfaction of thy dear Son in him be reconciled unto me and restore me again to thy grace and favour to the peace and comfort and communion of thy holy Spirit that mine eyes may see thy Salvation and thy Servant may depart in peace Luke 2. 29 30. And now O Lord I go to my bed as to my grave and know not but that I may awake in another world Live or die I commend my self to thy mercy and goodness beseeching thee to receive me under the wings of thy protection where I may rest safe and secure from all evils And with my self I commend unto thee all whom any relation or occasion hath made near or dear unto me Thou Keeper of Israei who dost neither slumber nor sleep receive us all into thy keeping and preserve our Souls in perpetual peace and safety And the peace of God which passeth all understanding keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord And the blessing of God Almighty the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost be with us this night