I would propose there might be a Psalm sung for there is a most inviting and popular as well as a most Heavenly Part of Divine Worship And because there is now so good a Version of the Psalms given us by Brady and Tate and these revis'd by several Bishops and allow'd by Publick Authority to be sung in Churches I would propose the Use of them in Families at leastwise and could wish they were introduc'd into our Publick Assemblies The Disadvantage that Psalmody does at this day lye under by reason of the intolerable badness of our Metre and the ill singing of our Psalms in Country-Churches makes the better sort of People indeed nauseate it and all to despise it Not to say that the Beauty of our Service suffers extreamly by it But Psalms and Hymns to the Great Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier of Mankind as they were the most signal part of the Primitive Liturgies and as they will continue to all Eternity the constant Employment of the Blessed Angels and Saints above so now that there is an Emendation both of the Psalms and Singing the Prejudices conceiv'd against them may soon I hope be turn'd into the highest Love and Esteem of both So that this I think wou'd be an Alteration made to the well-liking of all the Members of our Communion I know there are those who think the Common People so fond of the Old Psalms that they wou'd not endure an Innovation therein But in all the Experience I have had in this Matter in a Ministry amongst them for Fifteen Years I never found that Person which spoke the least liking to Hopkins and Sternhold's Psalms nor any one of the Country-People who had that Value for them as to get one of them by Heart But as to a new Version of our Singing Psalms done with a Spirit and Life that comes up in some measure to the Original now that such an one is made all People I am perswaded would be apt of themselves to learn them and the Clergy can now with a good Countenance strike in and encourage them thereunto not only that every Person might be able to bear a part in that Service but as an Excellent Furniture for Devotion both in Solitude and on many other Occasions And this indeed deserves a particular Consideration that whereas through the Difficulty of learning Prose it is a very hard Matter to make the meaner sort of People to get any Prayers by heart yet through the Facility of getting Verse and the great liking they have to it they may be easily wrought upon to get many of the Singing Psalms without Book so that they might hereby be provided if the Choice were well made of apt and proper Devotions sufficient in some measure to supply their want of other Prayers However they wou'd have wherewithal to lift up their hearts to Heaven upon Contemplation of God's Works when they walk in the Fields and view the Wonders of his Works of which sort of Devotions David's Psalms are so noble a Store-house and to which he does so often call upon all Men Not to say that the getting of much of this Sacred Poesy by heart may work in them a disrelish for obscene and profane Songs and Ballads whereby the Minds of all sorts of People are so infinitely corrupted at this day In short since there is no part of Devotion more pleasing than Psalmody and the Neglect of Family-Worship amongst the Common People at least may be dated from the time it has grown into neglect I cannot therefore but propose it as fit to be reviv'd And because it does so wonderfully compose the Spirits and prepare the Mind for Divine Heat I cannot but think it proper to begin with it in the Daily Returns of Family-Worship PSALMS PSALM C. Proper to be Sung at Home or at Church before the beginning of Divine Service Psalm 100. Proper Tune With one consent let all the Earth to God their chearful voices raise Glad homage pay with awful mirth and sing before him Songs of Praise Convinc'd that he is God alone From whom both we and all proceed We whom he chuses for his own The Flock that he vouchsafes to seed O enter then his Temple-Gate Thence to his Courts devoutly press And still your grateful Hymns repeat And still his Name with Praises bless For he 's the Lord supremely good His Mercy is for ever sure His Truth which always firmly stood To endless Ages shall endure To Father Son and Holy Ghost The God whom Earth and Heaven adore Be Glory as it was of Old Is now and shall be evermore PSALM XCV To be Sung as the 100 Psalm Proper to be Sung as the former O Come loud Anthems let us sing Loud Thanks to our Almighty King For we our Voices high should raise When our Salvation's Rock we praise Into his Presence let us haste To thank him for his Favours past To him Address in joyful Songs The praise that to his Name belongs For God the Lord enthron'd in State Is with unrival'd Glory Great A King superior far to all Whom by his Title God we call O let us to his Courts repair And bow with Adoration there Down on our Knees devoutly all Before the Lord our Maker fall To Father c. PSALM II. Proper to be Sung in a Family or at Church after the Second Lesson Psalm 2. Rochel Tune WIth restless and ungovern'd Rage why do the Heathen storm Why in such rash Attempts engage as they can ne'er perform The Great in Council and in Might their various Forces bring Against the Lord they all unite and his anointed King Must we submit to their Commands Presumptuously they say No let us break their slavish Bands And cast their Chains away But God who sits enthron'd on high And sees how they combine Does their conspiring Strength defie And mocks their vain Design PSALM XI To be â—ung between the First and Second Service Psalm 11. St. David's Tune THe Lord hath both a Temple here and Righteous Throne above Whence he surveys the Sons of Men and how their Counsels move If God the Righteous whom he loves for tryal does correct What must the Sons of Violence Whom he abhors expect Snares Fire and Brimstone on their Heads Shall in one Tempest show'r This dreadful mixture his Revenge Into their Cup shall pow'r The Righteous Lord will Righteous deeds With signal Favour grace And to the upright Man disclose The Brightness of his Face PSALM CXIX To be Sung before the Sermon Psalm 119. St. Mary's Tune INstruct me in thy Statutes Lord thy righteous Paths display And I from them through all my Life will never go astray If thou true Wisdom from above Wilt graciously impart To keep thy perfect Laws I will Devote my zealous Heart In Truth substantial Peace have they Who truly love thy Law No smiling Mischief them can tempt Nor frowning Danger aw Directed therefore by thy Word Let all my Footsteps be Nor Wickedness of
any kind Dominion have o're me On me devoted to thy Fear Lord make thy Face to shine Thy Statutes both to know and keep My Heart with Zeal incline PSALM CXIX To be Sung after Sermon Psalm 119. London New Tune SAfe in my Heart and closely hid thy Word my Treasure lies To succour me with timely Aid when sinful Thoughts arise Secur'd by that my grateful Soul Shall ever bless thy Name O teach me then by thy just Laws My future Life to frame My Lips unlock'd with pious Zeal To others have declar'd How well the Judgments of thy Mouth Deserve our best regard Whilst in the way of thy Commands More solid Joy is found Than had I been with vast increase Of envy'd Riches crown'd Therefore thy Just and Righteous Laws Shall always fill my Mind And those sound Rules which thou prescrib'st all due Respect shall find To keep thy Statutes undefac'd Shall be my constant joy The strict remembrance of thy Word Shall all my Thoughts employ PSALM XXIV To be Sung before Evening Service begins Psalm 24. St. James's Tune THis spacious Earth is all the Lord's the Earth her fulness is The World and they that dwell therein by sovereign right are his He fram'd and fix'd it on the Seas And his Almighty Hand Upon inconstant Floods has made The stable Fabrick stand But for himself this Lord of all One chosen Seat design'd O who shall to the Sacred Hill Desir'd Admittance find The Man whose Hands and Heart are pure Whose Thoughts from Pride are free Who honest Poverty prefers To gainful Perjury This this is he on whom the Lord Shall show'r his Blessings down Whom God his Saviour shall vouchsafe With Righteousness to crown Such is the Race of Saints by whom The Sacred Courts are trod And such the Proselytes that seek The Face of Jacob's God PSALM XXIV To be Sung after the Second Lesson Evening Service To be Sung as the foregoing part ERect your Heads Eternal Gates Unfold to entertain The King of Glory see he comes with his Celestial Train Who is this King of Glory Who The Lord for Strength renown'd In Battle mighty o're his Foes Eternal Victor crown'd Erect your Heads ye Gates unfold In State to entertain The King of Glory for he comes With all his shining Train Who is this King of Glory Who The Lord of Hosts renown'd Of Glory he alone is King Who is with Glory crown'd To Father c. PSALM LXXXIV Proper to be Sung in a Family on a Sunday Evening or in Church after Evening Service is over Psalm 84. Manchester Tune O Lord of Hosts my King O God how highly blest are they Who in thy Temple always dwell and there thy Praise display For in thy Courts one single Day 'T is better to attend Than Lord in any place besides A Thousand Days to spend For God who is our Sun and Shield Will Grace and Glory give And no good thing will he with-hold From them that justly live O thou whom Heavenly Hosts obey How highly blest is he Whose Hope and Trust securely plac'd Are still repos'd on thee To Father Son and Holy Ghost The God whom we adore Be Glory as it was is now And shall be evermore PSALM CXVII Proper to be Sung in a Family before Morning Prayer Psalm 117. Exeter Tune WIth cheerful Notes let all the Earth to Heav'n their Voices raise Let all inspir'd with godly Mirth sing solemn Hymns of Praise God's tender Mercy knows no bound His Truth shall ne'er decay Then let the willing Nations round This grateful Tribute pay To Father Son c. PSALM CXXXIX To be Sung as the 100 Psalm Proper also to be Sung in a Family at Morning Prayer THou Lord by strictest search hast known My rising up and lying down My secret Thoughts are known to thee Known long before conceiv'd by me Thine Eye my Bed and Paths surveys My publick Haunts and private Ways Thou know'st what 't is my Lips would vent My yet unutter'd words intent The veil of Night is no disguise No screen from thine All-seeing Eyes Through midnight shades thou find'st thy way As in the blazing Noon of Day Thou know'st the Secrets of my Heart If mischief lurk in any part Correct me where I go astray And guide me in thy perfect way To Father Son c. PSALM VIII Proper to be Sung in a Family at Evening Prayer Psalm 8. Winchester Tune O Thou to whom all Creatures bow within this earthly Frame Thro' all the World how great art Thou how glorious is thy Name When Heaven the Beauteous Work on high Employs my wandring sight The Moon that nightly guilds the Sky With Stars of feebler Light What 's Man said I that Lord thou lov'st To keep him in thy Mind Or what his Off-spring that thou prov'st To them so wondrous kind Him next in Pow'r thou didst create To thy Celestial Train Ordain'd with Dignity and State O're all thy Works to Reign They joyntly own his potent sway The Beasts that Prey or Graze The Birds that wing their Airy way The Fish that cuts the Seas O thou to whom all Creatures bow Within this Earthly Frame Thro' all the World how great art thou How Glorious is thy Name To Father c. PSALM CXLVIII Psalm 148. Proper Tune YE boundless Realms of Joy exâ•Œalt your Maker's Fame his praise your song employ above the starry frame your voices raise ye Cheâ•Œruâ•Œbims and Seâ•Œraâ•Œphims to sing his Praise Let all of Royal Birth With those of humbler Frame And Judges of the Earth His matchless Praise proclaim In this Design Let Youths and Maids And Hoary Heads With Children joyn United Zeal be shown His wondrous Fame to raise Whose Glorious Name alone Deserves our endless praise Earths utmost ends His Power obey His Glorious sway The Sky transcends His chosen Saints to Grace He raises them on high And favours Israel's Race Who still to him are nigh O therefore raise Your grateful Voice And still rejoyce The Lord to praise PSALM CIII To be Sung as the 100 Psalm THe Lord the Universal King In Heaven has fix'd his lofty Throne To him the Angels Praises sing In whose great Strength his Pow'r is shown Ye that his just Commands obey And hear and do his Sacred Will The Hosts of his this Tribute pay Who still what he ordains fulfill Let every Creature jointly bless The mighty Lord And thou my Heart With grateful Joy thy Thanks express And in this Consort bear thy part Yea Lord to celebrate thy Fame My grateful Voice to Heaven I 'll raise And Nations strangers to thy Name Shall thus be taught to sing thy Praise For God abounds with tender Love And unexampl'd Acts of Grace His waken'd Wrath does slowly move His willing Mercy flows apace God will not always harshly chide But with his anger quickly part And loves his Punishments to guide More by his Love than our Desert Secondly Next after the Psalm may succeed a Course of Reading And
IN an humble and thankful Sense O Lord of Heaven and Earth of our entire dependence on Thee and of the Duty we owe Thee and the many Promises and Vows wherein we stand engaged to Thee we fall down before Thee this Evening and with all Reverence worship thy Divine Majesty Giving Thee the Glory that is due to thy Name and acknowledging thy multiplied Mercies to us particularly those of this Day to the Conclusion of which thou hast now safely brought us with new Resolutions in our Hearts to continue forever in thy Faith and Fear and Love and Obedience It is but just and reasonable and we feel likewise by daily Experience that it is our Happiness to keep thy Commandments and to maintain chearful Thoughts of Thee and an hearty Friendship with Thee by complying in all things with thy Holy Will O pardon our Folly most Gracious God in forsaking at any time that Perfect Rule to follow our own unruly Desires Pardon us we beseech Thee for we know not how to pardon our selves such Ingratitude to Thee and Cruelty to our selves It is the Grief of our Hearts that we have in the least offended Thee and our most earnest unfeigned Desires to to be preserved hereafter in an exact Conformity to the Rule in every thing Yea we wou'd delight to do thy Will O God and take such a Pleasure in all the Acts of Righteousness Mercy Meekness and Gentleness to our Neighbours and in praising and acknowledging Thee the God of all Grace and in living in an humble sense of thy Bounty and our own Vndeservings and in a temperate and thankful Vse of all thy Blessings that we may have the continual Feast of a good Conscience and the constant Comfort and Satisfaction of having Thee always for our Friend and our Gracious Father in Christ Jesus O thou who art the Inspirer of such holy Counsels Desires and Purposes keep them for ever in our Hearts encourage strengthen and increase them that after the Refreshment of a quiet Sleep this Night we may feel them lively and powerful in the Morning and with renew'd Joy we may still devote our selves to thy faithful Service O that our Friends and all thy People in every Place may partake of the same Mercies we desire for our selves And however we are severed one from another in this World grant us an happy Meeting at the Day of our Lord In whose Words we pray Thee to hear us Our Father c. AN Office for YOUTH Texts of Scripture proper for a Mornning Meditation Eph. 5.14 AWake thou that sleepest and arise from the Dead and Christ shall give thee Light Rom. 13. Ver. 11. Knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed Ver. 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 Ver. 13. Let us walk honestly as in the Day and put on the Lord Jesus Christ Matth. 5.16 Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven Eccles 2.13 Wisdom excelleth Folly as far as Light excelleth Darkness I. Psal 3.5 I laid me down and slept I awaked for the Lord sustained me II. Psal 90.14 O satisfy me early with thy Mercy that I may rejoice and be glad all my Days III. Psal 59.16 17. I will sing of thy Power yea I will sing aloud of thy Mercy in the Morning for thou hast been my Defence and Refuge in the day of my Trouble IV. Ver. 17. Unto thee O my Strength will I sing for God is my Defence and the God of my Mercy V. Psal 71.5 Thou art my Hope O Lord God thou art my Trust from my Youth VI. Ver. 6. By thee have I been holden up from the Womb thou art he that took me out of my Mothers Bowels my Praises shall be continually of thee VII Psâ—l 148.12 Young Men and Maidens Old Men and Children VIII Ver. 13. Let them praise the Name of the Lord for his Name alone is excellent his Glory is above the Earth and Heaven IX Psal 113.1 Praise ye the Lord praise him O ye Servants of the Lord. X. Ver. 2. Blessed be the Name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore XI Ver. 3. From the rising up of the Sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's Name is to be praised XII Psal 119.124 Deal with thy Servant according to thy Mercies O teach me thy Statutes XIII Ver. 125. I am thy Servant give me Understanding that I may know thy Testimonies XIV Psal 143.8 Cause me to learn thy loving kindness for in thee do I trust cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my Soul unto thee A Morning Prayer O God the Father of Heaven I render unto Thee all possible Praise and Thanksgiving who hast preserved me safe from the Danger of the Night past I do humbly beseech thee that thou wouldst take me under the Protection of thy Good Providence this Day and for evermore And as thou hast dispell'd the Darkness of the Night and fill'd the World with the Light of the Sun and hast awaken'd me from Sleep so do thou vouchsafe O Lord to expel the Darkness of Ignorance from my Mind enlightning it with the Beams of thy most Holy Spirit and with the Knowledge of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ our Saviour that true Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World that so declining from the Works of Darkness and directing my Steps according to the Truth of thy most Holy Word I may always walk as in open day Soberly Righteously and Godly subduing all Youthful Lusts and avoiding all Evil Company and at length may arrive to the Habitations of Light under the Conduct of the same thy Son to whom with thee and the Holy Spirit one God of most Adorable Majesty be all Honour and Glory both now and evermore Amen Scripture Texts for Evening Meditation John 11.9 ARE there not twelve Hours in the Day If any Man walk in the Day he stumbleth not because he seeth Light of of this World Ver. 10. But if a Man walk in the Night he stumbleth because there is no Light in him John 3.19 And this is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds were Evil. John 1.9 Now Jesus Christ is that true Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World John 12.35 Let us therefore walk whilst we have Light lest Darkness come upon us for he that walketh in Darkness knoweth not whither he goeth 1 John 2.9 He that saith he is in the Light and hateth his Brother is in Darkness even until now Ver. 10. He that loveth his Brother abideth in the Light and there is no occasion of stumbling in him Psa