Adam and Eve and didst sanctifie and joyn them together in marriage pour upon us the riches of thy Grace sanctifie and bless us that we may please thee both in body and Soul and live together in holy love to our lives end Amen These you may use or so many of them as you think best only take heed that you may with the words express the true and hearty desires of your Souls to God alwayes concluding with the Lords Prayer as our Saviour in his Gospel hath taught us to pray 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 deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen And then add The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the fellowship of the holy Ghost be with us evermore Amen A prayer to obtain Children to be used by those for whom it is necessary O Merciful God and heavenly Father by whose gracious gift mankind is increased we beseech thee assist us both with thy blessing that we may neither of us be barren but both of us fruitful in Children and also may live together so long in godly love and honesty that we may see our Children Christianly and Vertuously brought up to thy praise and honour thro' Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Or instead of these you may make use of either of those that follow which of them you shall think most suitable to your condition to make known the desire of your heart to the heart-searching God The married persons joynt request unto God taken out of Mr. Hieron's help to Devotion THou O most blessed God didst first ordain the married state and it is thy providence by which we which were two are now made one flesh having mutually resigned our selves either to other by our entrance into this holy League It is the desire of our Souls to live together to thy glory and to the contentment each of other This we cannot do without thee for of our selves besides sin we can do nothing unto thee therefore do we commend our most earnest and humble suit that it may please thee so to besprinkle our Souls with the dew of thy grace that from thence may spring a plentiful increase of Sobriety of righteousness and of holiness in our lives Allay in us all sensual and brutish love purifying and sanctifying our affections one toward another that we may in nothing dishonour this honourable state nor pollute the bed of marriage which thou thy self in thy word hast called undefiled but may use this thine ordinance in that holy sort that carnal lusts may be slaked and subdued not increased or inflamed thereby Endue us with a godly care to acquaint our selves with thy blessed word that we may know and understand what duty is required at our hands what authority tempered with love and compassion and freed from all bitterness is committed to the husband what obedience and submission with reverence is commended in the wife what faithfulness in matrimonial duties either to other is enjoyned what providence and care is expected of the man and what assistance and help of the woman And when we know and have learned these things grant that it may be our study to practise them that so the husband may be as a faithful guide to his wife and the wife a crown and credit to her husband Make us wise to observe the natures and dispositions one of another that in all lawful things the one may seek to please and content the other the one may know how to bear with and to forbear the other not winking at any evil in one another but discreetly chusing the fittest opportunities for mutual admonishing without all shews of tyranny in the one or of presumption in the other Open our hearts that we may faithfully and chearfully communicate one to the other that sweetness which we find in heavenly things that sowe may go hand in hand towards heaven And that our chief love and delight either in other may be grounded upon the hope we have that we are heirs together of the grace of life In our family link us together in one common care to oversee the wayes of our houshold to seek the promoting and advancing of thy Kingdom the good instruction and education of our Children and servants Finally O Lord so unite and joyn us together in fidelity of affection that we may ever devote our selves to the procuring of the present and eternal good one of another that so living here comfortably we may reign with thee perpetually in that thy Kingdom which the blood of thy Son hath prepared for those that love and fear thy name Unto which Kingdom O Lord reserve us even for thy Son's sake and for thy mercies sake Amen Another to the same purpose O Lord our God who art pleased to look in mercy on thy poor creatures thro' the Lord Jesus Christ and dost promise to hear the prayers made to thee in his name we beseech to hear our prayers and supplications incline our hearts to pray and be pleased to hear and answer us graciously for Christ Jesus sake Thou O blessed Lord hast ordained the state of marriage and by thy good providence hast brought us together in that holy bond that we might be meet helps for one another And now O Lord we beseech thee frame both our hearts to holy desires to be helpful to each other both in soul and body And help us by thy Grace that we may live together in holy love and assist each other in faith and repentance and sincere obedience to thy holy word and will That we may live together in thy fear and be both of us ever in thy favour Put it into our hearts good Lord daily to pray and call upon thy holy name one with another and one for another Enable us to read thy holy word diligently enlighten our understandings that we may thereby know thy will and quicken us by thy Grace and good Spirit that we may be doers of thy Word And that being taught thereby we may learn truly to sanctifie thy Sabbaths and to give up our selves to thee our God heartily and entirely in frequent serious and solemn renewing the Covenant at thy holy Table in the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper and that we may live together as in Covenant with the Lord and do all that good thou hast appointed us in this state and condition of life to which thou hast called us Pardon we beseech thee all our Sins for Christ Jesus sake And all that vanity whereby we may have ensnared each other since our first acquaintance either in thought word or action savouring too much of the flesh and unbecoming
to see my young one brought up in thy faith and fear That I may dedicate it to thy self in holy Baptism And instruct it betimes in thy holy word that I and those thou givest me may be thine for ever Lord hear and help thy poor handmaid that has no help but thee To thee I desire to make my request 's known with thanksgiving for all thy mercies To thee O Lord I commit my whole concern as to a faithful creator Do thou O Lord hear and help and forgive me and do for me what in thy heavenly wisdom seems best Even more then I can ask or think and all for the sake and thro' the mediation of thy beloved Son the Lord Jesus Christ Amen A prayer to be used in a family either morning or evening by changing the conclusion O Lord Almighty God King of Glory who from the height of thy habitation dost behold all the inhabitants of the earth considering all their wayes and providing for them of thy goodness we O Lord have received abundantly of thy bounty and loving kindness for which we desire to return praise and thanksgving And now we beg the continuance of thy mercy to us Thou commandest us to call on thee And Lord whither can we come but unto thee O Lord our strength and our redeemer O shed abroad thy love in our hearts and stir up our Souls to lay hold on thee that we may not seek thy face in vain Lord give ear to our prayer answer us graciously Lord we confess we are unworthy to call on thy holy name by reason of those many sins with which we are defiled full of corruption by nature having sin dwelling in us and alwayes present with us by which we offend daily both in thought word and deed We have broken thy holy law by neglecting those duties which thou hast commanded us and doing those things which thou hast forbidden And we have added to our sins much slightness and contempt not regarding thy wrath much impenitency being unsensible of the filth of sin and carelesness in not seeking to be cleansed from sin thro' the boold of Christ Jesus tho' thy mercy hath provided that redemption for us O Lord to us belongeth confusion of face because we have sinned against thee shouldest thou Lord be extream to mark all that is done amiss who could abide it But with thee there is mercy and forgiveness that thou mayest be feared thou hast appointed to poor sinners an Advocate thy Son Jesus Christ the Righteous who is the propitiation of our sins and sits at thy right hand to make intercession for us In his name O Lord and for his sake we beg that thou wouldest pardon all our sins and blot out all our transgressions Give unto us that true and lively faith that sincere and hearty repentance that true conversion and new obedience that our sins may be blotted out and we justified freely by thy grace thro' the redemption that is in Jesus Christ And being reconciled unto thee thro' the blood of thy Son be pleased to take us into thy protection and defend us against all the power of sin and deceits of Satan O let not sin reign in our mortal bodies that we should obey it in the lusts thereof but let the blood of Christ purge our consciences from dead works to serve the living God That every one of our Souls may be zealous of doing good to thy glory Teach every one of us to know our several duties and by thy grace enable us to do them to thy glory and the good and Comfort of one another Bestow upon us the blessings of this life so far as may be for our Souls good give unto us continue with us renew for us bodily health and strength and all our senses Provide for us food and raiment and make us content with the portion thou givest and what in thy wisdom thou seest fit to deny us in the things of this life teach us to bear the want with humility and contented submission and be pleased to make it up unto us in Spiritual blessings that we may use the world without abusing it and improve every providence to thy glory Good Lord prepare us for our latter end enable us so to love that we may die in the Lord and live for ever with our God Be pleased to bless thy whole Church especially this nation in turning every one of us from our iniquities that our sins may be pardoned our Souls sanctified our lives reformed to thy glory praise so that we may enjoy peace and truth in our dayes having thy Gospel still continued among us To that end we beseech the bless all our governours with holy wisdom and all the ministers of thy word especially thy Servant under who 's ministry we are that he may faithfully deliver thy word to the edification of our Souls Comfort all the afflicted with mercies suitable to their distresses particularly such as we know or those that desire to be remembred by us Lord Sanctifie all their afflictions to their Souls good Bless all our friends and relations with renewed sanctified hearts and lives that we may have Godly comfort in them they in us all of us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Conclusion for Morning WE bless thee O Lord for that thou hast kept us in peace safety this last night and refresht our bodies with quiet rest and sleep we pray thee continue thy goodness to us this day keep us in all our thoughts words and actions from all sin Enable us for our work and business that we may do good in our place keep us from sickness and every sad providence bring us to the evening in peace that our Souls may praise thee And in the end of our lives receive us to thy everlasting kingdom for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord in whose name and words we sum up all our desires as himself hath taught us to pray saying Conclusion for Evening WE thank thee O Lord for thy good providence over us this day past for keeping of us and providing for us Pardon we beseech thee all our sins and failings this day keep us in peace and safety this night refresh our bodies with sleep convenient for us bring us to the morning in peace and be present with us when we awake Guide and preserve us the next day all our dayes nights that we may finish our lives in peace in thy fear and holy joy and enter into thy everlasting kingdom in heaven for Christ Jesus sake our only Lord and Redeemer in whose holy name and words we conclude praying as himself hath taught us 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 deliver us from evil For thine is the Kingdom And the power And the glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS
willing indeed to endeavour is certainly in your power especially at first when all circumstances make such endeavours more easy and hopeful in respect of success as I shewed before in the former part of the third Section Besides you have endeavoured in other things when there was as little likelyhood of prevailing and in cases to which you were as much strangers as you are in this so also may you endeavour now in this and how can you tell but you may prevail If you enquire what you may do to win each others love to the Lord and to perswade each other to walk in his ways call to mind what ways you took to gain the affection of each other for marriage the like method of intreating and entertaining followed with equal diligence and care in all probability will be succesful and may be as effectual in this matter as in the other 1. Remember what wayes you took to get acquaintance and to find opportunities of favourable acceptance So now be as watchful to procure opportunities to bring each other to God And when alone in secret seek to perswade to this And observe which is the fittest season to bring either to a promise 2. Remember how careful then you were to do nothing to displease one another but that you might still find the same favourable countenance So now much more labour that all your carriage may be so pleasing that all things on both parts may be so ordered that the duties of Religion may be delightful and not seem a burden 3. Then you could forbear many things which you knew were displeasing to each other so now also forbear all that may hinder each other in this good thing Let the man avoid all unnecessary spending of time abroad and let the woman avoid all negligence at home that all things may be in order for reading and prayer at the hour appointed 4. Then you could talk of love and almost nothing else and make great pretences at least now then talk as much and as often of the love of God and his love to Souls and of your love to the Souls of one another and talk of the Goodness of God and of his holy waies that thereby you may excite and inflame each other with love to God and goodness and what you could talk of without any help but natural inclinations now in this you may have the help of God his word his grace and holy Spirit 5. Then you could use arguments to win love and propose advantages enquire reasons of denial and answer their objections So may you now use arguments to win each other to the love of God shew each other the advantages of an holy and heavenly living together How it will strengthen natural affection end enable to bear all crosses and worldly troubles Ask what should hinder a resolution to joyn in so good so comfortable a design and answer what may be said against it with the Spirit of love and mildness 6. Then you would take no denial but ask again and again So may you now to win each other to the ways of God And be not wearied for this is well doing Continue to use the fittest opportunities till you have perswaded each other to be willing to embrace the ways of God to go to God together to go to heaven together Can you deny me this you may jnstly say this that is so much for our comfort both in sickness and in health and even in death it self I will never leave asking till I have obtained 7. Remember how then you could bear with patience all peevishness and mourn at refusal without anger so now wait in the Spirit of meekness endeavouring to win Could you then beg and wait and intreat acceptance and rejoyce if at last you obtained consent and agreement and cannot you do so now without some such endeavours as these where is the love you talked of where is that true love to thy partner and dear yoke-fellow Where is thy love to thy own Soul And where is thy love to thy dear Lord And especially if either find the other backward and yet lost in the flesh and either in words or actions discovering an enmity to a Godly life They had need mourn for their condition in secret and pray for them in secret but give not over as lost but wait and woo with patience and hope and prudence How knowest thou but at last it may prevail and that God may make thee the happy instrument of saving the Soul of thy Partner 1 Cor. 7.16 I shall now conclude with some few considerations to encourage to this duty or serious endeavours at least You are hereby in a probable way of reaping much comfortable fruit 1. Consider if this be attained to that both are willing and desirous and resolved thus to seek the Lord and to live in his way as in covenant with him how great the blessing of holy peace and comfort will be at present in this life God dwelling in such families where his Worship is set up and his holy way followed God promises to such and sayes I will walk among you and will be your God and ye shall be my people Lev. 26.11 12. And if you love indeed and seek the welfare of each others Souls this must needs yeild the pleasant fruit of mutual comfort in each other at present And without that all worldly advantages and seeming comforts will be but bitter troubles 2. Consider when you have won each other to this holy practice there is comfort in hope a well grounded hope of which you will be able to render a reason to any that may ask you 1 Pet. 3.15 Hereby in this present life you are laying a good foundation for an holy family if God hereafter shall increase you with Children and Servants you have chosen for them the best portion the most secure protection even the Almighty preserver And in some measure have done your duty answerable to your prayers in taking care that your Children may be Christianly vertuously brought up to Gods Glory and may justly expect such a prosperity that may not be a snare but that your Souls may prosper or a sanctified adversity for you and yours And then in the end of life and finishing your dayes on earth how great a comfort will it be to think that all shall meet in heaven pleasant and comfortable in this life And the more pleasant in this that in death you shall not be divided neither one from another nor either from God And then the comforts already tasted will be enlarged to the full Methinks this consideration singly it self is enough to quicken and perswade to endeavour that is the having a grounded hope of meeting together in the glories of heaven and joys of the blessed and of being instruments of bringing and establishing that good in a family which death cannot destroy 3. Consider it will be matter of comfort to those that do endeavour whether man