THE Devout Companion Containing PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS FOR Every Day in the Week AND FOR Several Occasions Ordinary and Extraordinary Psal 55. 17. Evening and Morning and at Noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my Voice The Twelfth Edition LONDON 〈…〉 Henry Rhodes at the 〈…〉 he corner of Brile 〈…〉 1699. TO THE Truly Honoured The LADY J. C. MADAM AT Your Request these ensuing Prayers and Meditations were composed which I here present to Your view not that You want my weak Instructions for You are known to be so good a Proficient in God's School and have more of this Heavenly Language by Heart than I can instruct you by Precept The Meditations I have taken from the Psalms of that sweet singer of Israel the Royal Prophet and this Key opens not only the Kingdom of Grace but the Kingdom of Heaven too it being an exact Composure of all Christian Vertues No Worshipping can be more true or more spiritual than the Psalter said with a pure Mind and a hearty Devotion For David was God's Instrumeâ—t to the Church teaching and admonishing as our Duty is to each other in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs making melody to the Lord. In your Voyage to the Almighty You might have I doubt not a better Card or Compass to sail by than this Form of Prayer which I prescribe yet I beseech You encourage others by Your pious Example to feed upon this Milk for Babes those which are weak by tasting of it your Self So recommending it to Your Pious Acceptation wishing You all Happiness that this Earthly Paradise can afford whist You remain upon Earth and at the last a Crown of Immorral Glory in the highest Heavens is the earnest desire of Madam Your humble and faithful Servant in Christ Jesus E. S. THE Devout Companion Containing MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS For every Day in the Week c. A Preparatory Prayer against wandring Thoughts and vain Imaginations Thrice Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity Three Persons and One God have mercy upon me a miserable Sinner O Almighty God the only Giver and Bestower of all good things and without whose special Favour and Grace no Man hath Power to perform any spiritual Duty as he ought to do O Lord I know not what to pray for as I ought O let thy Spirit help my Infirmities and enable me to offer up a spiritual Sacrifice acceptable to thee by Jesus Christ II. Make me to remember into whose Presence I am come and with whom I have to do even with a God of infinâ—te Majesty before whom the Cherubims veil their Faces as being astonished at the Presence of so great a God as thou art How dare I then a moâ—t vile and sinful Creature who am but Dust and Ashes presume to appear at this time before thee who have drunk Iniquity like Water breaking so often thy holy Laws and Commandments by committing those things thou forbiddest and leaving undone those good things thou commandest III. But I come unto thee O Lord in the name of thy dear Son Jesus Christ the Righteous who hath redeemed me with his most precious Blood O then look upon me in him and for the merits of his Sufferings pardon all my Sins and blot out my Offences Strike an awful reverence in my Soul that I may continually keep a watch over my Thoughts Words and Actions least my Presumption and want of due Reverence unto thy Deity should turn my Prayers into Sin IV. Give me a lively apprehension of all my wants and necessities and a right Understanding both of those Blessings which I have received from thee and of those great Mercies which thou hast promised to bestow on them that ask thee that so I may be endued with Expressions both for Prayer and Thankfulness and may become able by the assistance of thy Grace to pour out my Soul continually before thee Support me with Faith that I may come with a good assurance to thy Throne of Grace to offer up my earnest Supplications unto thee and let me not go away from thy presence without a Blessing V. Grant Lord that this holy Exercise of Prayer may prove a delight to me O make me constant and diligent in the use of it remembring the speedy access the Prayers of the Faithful have in thy Presence and what a great Privilege it is for poor Mortals to unfold their Wants and lay open their Desires and Griefs before thee VI. Ever O Lord let the end of my Prayers be to thy Glory always exercising a Conscience void of Offence by offering up my Thanksgivings for Mercies received as I shall be earnest in suing for those Gifts and Graces I stand in need of Grant this O heavenly Father for the sake of thy dear Son my only Saviour and Redeemer Amen Meditations for Sunday THis is the Day which the Lord hath made a Day of Rest to our Bodies and for the Benefit of our Souls O let us rejoice and be glad in it all the Days of our L 〈…〉 leaving off our worldly Thoughts and Employments and be â—eeking after our future Happiness II. Great iâ— the Lord and great is the Honour of this day above all others The Jews kept Holy the Seventh Day and we Christians the Sunday or Lord's Day They in their Sabbath were especially to remember the Creation of the World but we in ours the Resurrection of Christ who hath made a way for us into that better worâ—d which we expect hereafter III. This convinceth the Folly of the Jews who are so superstitious in observing the Ceremony of Rest as that they think they ought not to prepare any Food for their bodily sustenance on the sabbath-Sabbath-Day neither do any work tho' it be for the Resection of Life it self But God in the Institution of the Sâ—bbath so rested whose Example we ought to imitate as that he ce 〈…〉 not in â—â—sting from doing good but in câ—â—sing to Create he continued to Preserve of which our Saviour saith My Father worketh hitherto and I work IV. This Day is set apart to be employed in the Worship and Service of God First more solemnly and publickly in the House of God from whence none ought to absent himself unless sickness or some extraordinary occasion prevent him Secondly at home privately praying with your Family or in your Closet exercising those other Duties of Reading and Meditation V. O Praise the Lord then O my Soul and enter into Contemplation with thy self upon all his Mercies Consider what a great Benefit it is to thee that there is such a set time weekly for thy spiritual Relief and Comfort cast off all worldly Business then and freely embrace this joyful Day of harvest whereby we may lay up in store for the whole Week nay even for our whole Lives VI. This day furnishes us with that Golden Rule by which we may square all our Actions and at last attain to the perfection of him whom the Royal Psalmist makes
the ends of the world In them hath he set a Tabernacle for the Sun which cometh forth as a Bridegroom out of his Chamber and rejoiceth as a giant to run his course It goeth forth from the uttermost part of the Heaven and runneth about unto the end of it again and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof The Law of the Lord is an undefiled Law converting the Soul the Testimony of the Lord is sure and giveth wisdom unto the simple The Statutes of the Lord are right and rejoice the heart the Commandment of the Lord is pure and giveth light unto the Eyes The fear of the Lord is clean and endureth for ever the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether More to be desired are they than gold yea than much fine gold sweeter also than honey 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 presumptuous sins lest 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 c. As it was in the beginning c. A Prayer for Wednesday Morning For Repentance O Eternal God before whom all Creatures both in Heaven and Earth do bow fear and tremble I a most wretched and miserable Creature dejected with the weighty burthen of my Sins fly unto thee for Succour Plant in my heart the Fear of thy Name and in my body the purity and cleanness of Charity and let them abide there for ever Cleanse me from all my secret Sins and preserve me from presumptuous and great Offences Touch my heart O God with true Repentance that thy Judgments present and imminent may be prevented and removed and the overflowing silver stream and current of thy Mercies be never at an end II. Be gracious to my Relations in the flesh my Friends in the spirit with all those to whom I am any way bounden or desire to be commended unto thee in my Prayers and Supplications Expel O Lord and cast out of my heart all evil Imagination Hatred Malice and all Uncharitableness and whatsoever is contrary to thy holy Commandments III. I praise thy holy Name for thy preservation of me this Night past for the Gifts and Graces of thy Blessed Spirit as Faith in thy Promises Hope of a better Life when this is ended and strength against all the temptations of Satan all which have proceeded from the Fountain of thy Mercy As thou hast of thy Providence kept me ever since I was born and in Mercy preserved me the beginning of this Week so to my Comfort grant me the continuance of the same through Jesus Christ my only Redeemer and Advocate Amen A Prayer for Wednesday Noon For God's particular Care of us O Almighty God I cry unto thee for Mercy by reason my Sins cry against me for Justice all the day long will I lift up my Heart unto thee shut not thine Ear O Lord but hear my complaint and that right soon Let me in all things see that I am upheld by thee Let me perceive it is thy Work by the Health of my Body and Peace of my Conscience in the Gift of my Mind the Credit of my Name and the Work of my Calling II. But alas can there be greater Mercies O Lord than thou hast already expressed towards me for whilst I have enjoyed all thy Mercies others have lived in penury and want in ignorance profaneness and without thee in the World III. What can I render unto the Lord for all his Mercies towards me Let me not pledge Joseph's Botler in his Cup of Oblivion but David rather in his Cup of Salvation and if my single heart be too barren of thankfulness let me borrow a magnificat O my Soul to magnifie Thee O Lord and let my Spirit rejoyce in thee O God my Saviour What shall I say unto thee O thou Redeemer of all Mankind I will praise thy holy Name For evermore inspire me with thy Spirit convert me from Evil confirm me in all Goodness and bring me at last unto thy heavenly Kingdom Amen A Prayer for Wednesday Night For deliverance from Sin MOST merciful God I beseech thee to open the Eyes of my understanding that I may come to a particular knowledge of my secret Sins especially those I am most inclined to Soften my hard and flinty heart that I may sigh and groan under tâ—â— weight of my most pressing sins and acknowledge them a Burthen too heavy for me to bear II. Stir up in me all dull and dead Affections that I may hunger and thirst after thee the well-spring of Life Forgive me all my misdemeanours of this day past make me to remember that Sin is filthy and loathsome even in the greatest pleasure and act thereof teach me to keep a continual watch over my inward and outward Man whereby I may be afraid to commit the least Sin that so I may walk according to thy holy will in all things III. Give me this Night sweet and comfortable rest and fit me O Lord for the duties and service of the next day Turn from me O Lord those judgments which my sins have justly deserved and renew those hopes which thou hast been pleased to frustrate crown me with those blessings which thou hast promised to all these that fear thy Name so that at the last I may attain everlasting Happiness and live with thee in perpetual peace and safety for evermore Amen Meditations for Thursday O Sing unto the Lord a new song for he hath done marvellous things With his own right hand and with his holy arm hath he gotten himself the victory The Lord declared his Salvation his Râ—ghteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the Heathen He hath remembred his Mercy and Truth towards the House of Israel and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God Shew your selves joyful unto the Lord all ye lands sing rejoice and give thanks Praise the Lord upon the harp sing to the harp with a Psalm of Thanksgiving With trumpets also and shawms O shew your selves joyful before the Lord the King Let the Sea make a noise and all that therein is the round world and they that dwell therein Let the floods clap their hands and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord for he is come to judge the earth With righteousness shall he judge the world and the people with equity Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. A Prayer for Thursday Morning A Sacrifice of Praise O Most glorious and powerful Lord God who with thy holy arm hath gotten for me the Victory over Sin Hell and
the Grave I praise thee O Lord from the very bottom of my heart for all thy love and boundless mercy and kindness for thy holy Incarnation Passion Resurrection and Ascention into Heaven and sitting at the right hand of God the Father where thou makest Intercession for me II. In thy merits I beseech thee to look upon me thou art that living Sacrifice that was offered up for me and in thy Name do I offer up unto thee this my morning Sacrifice evermore praising thee and magnifying thy holy Name Mortifie in me all fleshly Corruptions quicken me in the inner Man By the power of thy death let me die unto Sin and by the power of thy Resurrection let me rise to Righteousness and newness of Life Let the one as an antidote expel the poison of Ungodlyness and the other as a restorative excite me to Holiness III. Enlighten my Understanding that I may know thy Will reform my Life that I may do all things aright and to discern Good and Evil. Teach me to fear thy Name to neglect all things in regard of thee to be grieved at my own and others Sins but rejoyce exceedingly whensoever I can please thee Let me this Day labour that whatsoever I do may be pleasing in thy sight as I am thy Servant let me depend upon thee and as I am a Christian walk worthy of my Vocation and Calling IV. Be gracious and favourable unto the whole Church and bless every particular Member thereof be good to the light of our Eyes the breath of our Nostrils thy Solomon our gracious King bless thine own Tribe the Tribe of Levi the Nobility Gentry and Commonalty and let thy Peace rest upon those that pray for our Peace wheresoever dispersed over the Face of the whole Earth Lord keep me the remaining part of this Day in thy Truth and give me Peace and true Faith in thee now and for evermore Amen A Prayer for Thursday Noon For God's Blessing on our Endeavours O Eternal and most gracious God who though thou art ever infinite yet enlargest thy self by the number of our Prayers and takest our often Petitions to thee to be an addition to thy Glory so great is thy Humility toward poor Mortals I most humbly beseech thee O Lord that thine Eyes may continually attend upon me and thy Grace daily defend me from all danger succour cherish and comfort me in my Necessities and govern all my counsels Studies and Labours so that I may spend this Day according to thy blessed Will and the discharge of my own Conscience that warily avoiding all things that may displease thee and setting always before my Eyes thy Fear I may by the assistance of thy heavenly Grace and the guidance of thy holy Spirit work that which is acceptable and pleasing unto thee unto thy Praise and Glory for ever Amen A Prayer for Thursday Night For Deliverance from Sudden Death O Lord most holy the giver of all good things and the protector of all those that love thee I give thee most humble and hearty thanks nor only for thy preservation of me this day but all my life O Lord forgive me the Offences I have committed against thee this Day blot out all my sins with the blood of thy dear Son â—esus Christ and I beseech thee for his sake remember them no more II. Vouchsafe O Lord to extend thine accustomed goodness and protection over me this Night that I may peaceably and quietly take my rest which thou hast appointed for the refreshing of my wearied and weak body and I beseech thee to defend me that nothing hurt me keep me also good Lord from sudden and unprovided Death and preserve me by the guard of thy holy Angels that I may enjoy my rest this Night in thee until the Morning and then give my self to the fulfilling of my Duty the discharge of my Employment and the working of thy will unto my life's end III. In whose Name I referr my self wholly to the Almighty Protection even in the Name of thy blessed Son Jesus Christ the Righteous beseeching thee that when this Life shall have an end and my last sleep being come I may take my everlasting Rest with thee in thy heavenly Kingdom for the which Kingdom I do heartily beseech thee of thine inestimable goodness to fit and prepare me and all other thy Servants to the attainment of the same for the glory of thy holy Name and the everlasting comfort of our own Souls Amen Meditations for Friday THe Lord even the most mighty God hath spoken and called the world from the rising up of the Sun unto the going down thereof Out of Sâ—on hath God appeared in perfect beauty Our God shall comâ— and shall not keep silence there shâ—ll go before him a consuming firâ— and a mighty tempest shall be stirred up round about him He shall call the Heaven from above and the Earth that he mâ—y judge his People Gather my Saints together unto me those that have made a Covenant with me with Sacrifice And the Heavens shâ—ll declare his Righteousness for God is Judge himself Hear O my People and I will speak I my self will testifie against thee O Israel for I am God even thy God I will not reprove thee because of thy Sacrifices or for thy Burnt-offerings because they were not always before me I will take no Bullock out of thine house nor He-goats out of thy fold For all the Beasts of the Forest are mine and so are the Cattle upon a thousand hills I know all the Fowls upon the mountains and the wild Beasts of the field are in my sight If I be hungry I will not tell thee for the whole world is mine and all that is therein Thinkest thou that I will eat Bulls flesh and drink the blood of Goats Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vows unto the most highest And call upon me in the time of trouble so will I hear thee and thou shalt praise me But unto the ungodly said God why dost thou preach my Laws and takest my Covenant in thy mouth Whereas thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my Words behind thee When thou sawest a thief thou consentedst unto him and hâ—st been partaker with the Adulterers Thou hast let thy mouth speak wickedness and with thy tongue thou hast set forth deceit Thou satest and spakest against thy Brother yea and hast slandered thine own Mother's Son These things hast thou done and I held my tongue and thou thoughtest wickedly that I am even such a one as they self but I will reprove thee and set before thee the things that thou hast done O consider this ye that forgâ—t God lest I pluck you away and there be none to deliver you Whoso offereth me thanks and praise he honoureth me and to him that ordereth his conversatition aright will I shew the salvation of God Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. A Prayer for
I praise thee for my Creation Redemption and Preservation and by whose Grace and Mercy I hope to be glorified more-especially for feeding me this Day with the precious Body and Blood of Jesus Christ I will therefore offer unto thee the Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving and always praise thy holy Name beseeching thee to pour upon my Heart the sweet Streams of thy Mercy Conform my Life confirm my Faith and let thy Grace evermore guide me that I may with a strong assurance of thine infallible Truth and promised Mercy vanquish and subdue whatsoever rebelleth against thy blessed will II. Keep holy my Soul and Body and suffer them not to be defiled through delectation of Sin but that my full delight and joy may be in thee and walk before thee in sincerity of Heart and godly Conversation that I may here on Earth glorifie thy Name and after this Life with all thy falthful flock possess that everlasting Inheritance which thy Son Christ Jesus hath purchased with his most precious blood To whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end Amen John 5. 14. Behold thou art made whole sin no more least a worse thing come unto thee Jude 25. To the only wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power both now and ever Amen A Morning Prayer for a Private Person O Eternal God and most merciful Father I thine unworthy Servant do in all humility prostrate my self before thy divine Majesty acknowledging my own Vileness natural Corruptions and abominable Sins which from time to time have been committed against thee I am unworthy O Lord to appear in thy holy Temple or approach the remotest limits of the Place where thine Honour dwelleth II. But I beseech thee for the sake of thy dearly beloved Son accept of this my morning Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving for thy manifold Mercies extended towards me this Night past and heretofore till this moment For my Rest Food Raiment Health Peace and Liberty with the hopes of a better Life when this is ended Continue thy all supplying mercies unto me this day Govern me with thy Fear and compass me about with thy Favour set all my Sins to that accompt which thy Son Jesus Christ my only Saviour hath made up for them upon the Cross and never lay any of them to my charge but freely forgive and forget them all III. Prosper O Lord all that I shall take in hand this Day let my directions proceed from thy holy Will and the success from thy merciful Hand Give me a Competency for maintenance in this mortal Life that I may with quietness of mind and thankfulness of heart pass my time in this vale of misery in doing good to all men according to my ability without disparagement to my self or harm to others IV. Grant these things O Heavenly Father and whatever else thou seest most necessary for me and all other thy Servants in the World for the good of our Souls and Bodies guide and conduct me in the doing and performing diligently those things that thou hast required of me and that the end of all my labours may tend to the Praise of thy holy Name and the benefit of my poor Brethren Grant this good Lord I humbly beseech thee for Jesus Christ his sake Amen An Evening Prayer for a Private Person O Almighty and everlasting God I do confess I am unworthy of the least of all thy Mercies yet being bound in duty for thy preservation of me this day past and all the time of my whole Life I offer up unto thee Praise and Thanksgiving for my Election Creation Redemption Vocation and Sanctification with all other Gifts and Graces appertaining to this Life or that which is to come II. O thou that sittest above the Cherubims my tongue and lips shall praise and glorifie thee for preserving me by thy Providence this Day past from so many Miseries and Casualties which I might justly have fallen into hadst thou entred into Judgment with me But thou art a God full of Mercy and Compassion and passest by Offences to win me the more by thy patience and long-suffering make me truly thankful for thy Mercies ready and willing to make a good improvement of thy most gracious Forbearance and careful to obey thy Will with Conscience Diligence and Constancy III. Strengthen me from above with thy mighty hand to walk in every good way without fearfulness and to bring forth the Fruits of a true and lively Faith in my Life and Conversation all the days of my sojourning here Arm me with thy Grace and holy Spirit against the Corruptions and Vanities of the World and Wiles and Temptations of the Devil and the Allurements of the Flesh and so settle and frame my mind to the continual exercise of devout Prayer hearing of thy sacred Word and watching for thy coming both in publick and private IV. Keep me O Lord this night from all Evils which may happen either to my Body or my Soul Extend thy Goodness towards all those that have any dependance upon me give me sweet and comfortable rest that when I shall awake all my Thoughts Meditations may be on thee and thy Law Bless me O Lord all the nights and days of my Life and at the end thereof send me a blessed departure and afterwards a joyful Resurrection both of Soul and Body unto Life eternal grant these things O heavenly Father for thy Son Jesus Christ's sake my only Saviour Amen A Morning Prayer for a Private Family O Almighty and most merciful Father thou hast promised That where Two or Three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt be in the midst of them we poor sinful Creatures dust and ashes here in all humility do prostrate our Bodies and Souls before thee as living Monuments of thy Mercy We are unworthy of the least of thy mercies yet hast thou from time to time made us partakers of many for which we praise and magnifie thy holy Name beseeching thee to give us understanding Hearts to be sensible of our Evils with direction and assistance from thy holy Spirit to avoid the same II. And as thou hast O Lord kept us this Night in the time of darkness and dangers so we beseech thee to preserve us this Day that the Sun of Righteousness may rule in our Hearts and all the darkness that lurketh in them may be scattered to the comfort of our own Souls in the day of our Lord Jesus Endue us with those Gifts and Graces thou seest to be most needful for us and grant that with sincere Hearts pure Consciences we may wholly employ them in thy service to thy honour and glory III. Continue to us we earnestly beseech thee thy blessing of Health Peace and Maintenance so far as thou seest them convenient for us chase away from us all Rancour and Malice Covetousness Uncharitableness and Unkindness and whatsoever is contrary to thy Law take