Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth for the living God One day in thy Courts is better than a thousand I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the Tents of wickedness For the Lord God is a Sun and a shield the Lord will give grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly O come let us worship and bow down before the Lord our Maker For he is our God and we are the People of his Pasture and the sheep of his hand To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts ALmighty God who art great and glorious infinite in all perfections and of incomprehensible Majesty in comparison of whom the Princes of the earth are but vile Worms and all the Nations of the World less than nothing and vanity Thou deservest to be feared and magnified to be adored and praised and 't is our greatest honour to wait upon thee thy service is the most perfect freedom and we cannot but think it very meet and reasonable that a good part of our time should be devoted to thee and thine honour yea our whole life is too little to celebrate as we ought the excellence of thy divine Nature and of thy great Works O Lord this admirable Fabrick of the World is of thy making for in six days were all things Created by thee and the Seventh day in which thou didst cease from thy Work thou didst set apart for an holy Sabbath in which the Sons of men might remember thy Creation and honour thee for it Wherefore on this day of our religious rest we desire to meditate and admire that wonderful workmanship which doth appear in thy Creatures By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made with all that glorious Host of Sun Moon and Stars thou hast founded the earth beneath and given life and breath to all things living We acknowledge thy signal kindness to our selves above the rest of thy Creatures in that thou didst Create man after thine own Image making him little lower than the Angels that thou hast given him dominion over the works of thine hands and made him capable of eternal happiness in the service and enjoyment of thy self O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches and what is man that thou shouldest magnifie him That thou shouldest set thine heart upon him We do likewise extol thy love to mankind which hath been further shewn in the great work of our Redemption That after we had broken the Laws of our Creation by sinning against thee had faln short of the glory of God and were become liable to Death and Hell thou wert pleas'd to send thine only begotten Son out of thine own bosom to save us from destruction and restore us again to thy love and favour who took on him the form of a Servant liv'd a persecuted life dy'd a painful and ignominious death for us men and for our Salvation he did alone thy justice by the Sacrifice of himself overcame Death and the Grave and finished our Redemption by rising to life the third day when he was declar'd to be the Son of God with power by his wonderful Resurrection which we and all thy Church do this day commemorate O God thine acts of favour have been thus great and admirable to us-ward we do therefore offer up our hearty praise and thanksgiving for the discoveries of thy Wisdom Power and Goodness in the Creation of us and the whole World for thy compassion and rich grace in and through our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ And we do here with deep Repentance humble our selves for that our lives have not better answered such obligations of thine to duty and obedience for we have sinn'd against thee as thou art our Creatour by not loving and fearing thee as thou hast deserv'd by neglecting thy service and employing our souls and bodies which thou hast made in actions displeasing to thee and which thou hast forbidden We have offended thee as the Author of our Redemption by not receiving the Gospel with a due love and esteem thereof nor conforming our lives to its holy precepts nor walking suitably to that abundant grace which hath therein appeared teaching us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts But O thou Father of Mercies who delightest not in the death of sinners be thou pleas'd to pardon and justifie to do away our iniquities and receive us graciously bless unto us all the means of grace and the opportunities of receiving instruction from thine holy Word When we appear before thee in the Congregation of thy people help us to be serious and devout as in thy presence to join in Prayer with an intent and fervent mind and to hear thy Word with reverence and submission that by an attendance on thine holy Ordinances we may encrease in Piety and all the Graces of Christian Holiness for the righteousness and merits of that holy One who died for our sins and rose again for our Justification And we do also humbly beg for his sake that thou wouldest grant unto us thine holy Spirit and Heavenly Grace whereby thine Image may be renewed in us that we may from henceforth honour and serve thee from whom we have received our being and help us more and more to conform our selves to the death of Christ by dying to sin and to his Resurrection by rising to holiness and newness of life To this good end we pray thee to grant that on this thine holy Day we may sanctifie thine holy Name that our thoughts may be heavenly and our affections set on things above that we may take delight in the exercises of religion and may be in thy fear all the day long Bless thy Church and be thou graciously present in all Christian Assemblies throughout the World to hear the Prayers they shall this day put up and to prosper thy Word which shall be Preached that it may become effectual for pulling down the Kingdom of Satan and for edifying the body of Christ in sound Faith and real Godliness Let the light of thy glorious Gospel be spread abroad and the borders of thy Sons kingdom daily enlarg'd Call home thine ancient people the Jews and bring in the fulness of the Gentiles that all the Nations of the earth may be one sheepfold under the one great shepherd of Souls We implore thy particular kindness for this Church and Kingdom and more especially for the Kings Majesty that he may have Wisdom Justice Piety and all princely vertues to govern according to thy Will for thy glory and the good of thy people And let thy true religion be continued to us for all generations We present unto thee our hearty thanks for thy many and great benefits vouchsafed to us for our excellent being our preservation hitherto and all temporal enjoyments for our birth and education in a
place where the truth and purity of thy Gospel is profess'd and taught where we have the freedom of worshipping thee according to thy Will and do enjoy the precious means of Grace and Salvation Good Lord help us to make a wise and Christian use of all thy blessings to improve all spiritual advantages for the good and happiness of our souls that having well employed the Talents committed to us we may at length be approved by thee as good and faithful servants and may enter into the joy of our Lord to which blessedness do thou in thy good time bring us all through thy mercy in Jesus Christ in whose name and mediation we beg thy gracious acceptance of our Persons and Prayers which we further recommend unto thee in his words 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 Thy grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O heavenly Father thy Fellowship and Communion O holy and blessed Spirit be with us all evermore FAMILY DEVOTIONS FOR THE EVENING A short Prayer before Reading the Scripture ALmighty Creator and Evening most wise Governour of all the World thou art God and there is none beside thee and thou only art to be worshipp'd 't is of thy mercy and happy forbearance that we are yet alive and 't is the greatest happiness of our life that we can thus attend upon thee to hear thee speaking to us in thy written Word and to speak unto thee our selves by our Prayers and Supplications O Lord draw near to us with thy favourable mercies while we approach to thee in our humble duty have a gracious regard to this our evening Sacrifice and let thy good Spirit help our Infirmities since thou hast appointed the holy Scripture for a Rule of our Faith and a Law to all our actions grant that we may attend thereunto with godly reverence let thy word dwell richly in us and have a powerful influence on our hearts and lives that having obeyed thy Will here on earth we may receive the promise of eternal life in thine heavenly Kingdom through our Lord Jesus Christ to whom with thy self and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end Amen A Psalm and Prayer for the Evening O Give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever To him that made great lights for his mercy endureth for ever The Sun to rule by day the Moon and Stars to rule by night for his mercy endureth for ever O Lord thou hast searched me and known me Thou compassest my path and my lying down and art acquainted with all my ways If I say surely the darkness shall cover me even the night shineth as the day the darkness and the light are both alike to thee I will say of the Lord he is my refuge my God in him will I trust He shall cover thee with his Feathers and under his Wings shalt thou trust his truth shall be thy shield and buckler Thou shalt not be afraid for the terrour by night and the arrow that flyeth by day Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness nor the destruction that walketh at noon day Return unto thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee O Almighty and most glorious God Creator of Heaven and Earth we acknowledge our dependance on thee for we are the work of thine hands and in thee we live move and have our being wherefore our souls and bodies which thou hast made and hitherto preserv'd we do humbly prostrate at thy Footstool ascribing unto thee honour and worship adoration and praise and with lowly subjection submitting our selves to thy most great and excellent Majesty 'T is thy wonderful condescension that thou doest permit vile dust and ashes to have freedome of access to thy Throne of grace that thou art pleased to invite and command us to present our supplications We are altogether unworthy to speak unto thee and by reason of our manifold sins do justly deserve thou shouldest reject both our persons and prayers for the thoughts and imaginations of our hearts the course and practice of our life have been exceeding evil and that continually We have obeyed the lusts of our depraved nature more than the precepts of thy sacred Word and have compli'd with the temptations of Satan rather then the motions of thy blessed Spirit thy Law which is holy just and good we have broken from day to day and also slighted and abus'd the riches of thy grace discover'd in the Gospel wherefore to us belongs nothing but shame and punishment but with thee there is mercy and with thy Son plenteous redemption we beseech thee therefore for thy mercies sake and for thy Sons sake whom thou hast made a Sacrifice for sin that thou wouldest blot out all our transgressions and remember our iniquities no more deal not with us after the strictness of thy Law but according to the gracious terms of the new Covenant in which thou doest promise pardon and reconciliation to all repenting Sinners We do here profess our deep sorrow and humiliation for all our sins past and our serious resolution to lead the future part of our life in holy obedience to thy Will and Commands But for as much as our sufficiency is of thee and of our selves alone we can do nothing that shall be good and acceptable in thy sight be thou pleas'd to supply our defects and strengthen our weakness let thine holy Spirit lead us into truth and assist us in every good Duty Write thy Law in our inward parts and put thy fear into our hearts that we may never depart from thee Prepare us O Lord for all events of thy providence that in every condition we may be therewith content and grant whatever things shall befal us in this World they may work together for good and be a furtherance to us in our service of thee and in our passage to eternal happiness And because thou hast commanded that Prayers and Intercessions be made for all men we beg thy mercy for the whole race of Mankind that the light of thy Gospel may shine upon all the Earth and every Nation thereof may partake of Christ and the benefits of his Redemption Bless thy Church Universal that it may flourish more and more in purity of truth and holiness and that the Gates of Hell may never prevail against it Vouchsafe thy special care and kindness to this Church and Kingdom to which we belong preserve the religion profess'd among us from errour and corruption let piety justice and sobriety encrease and abound that thou mayest delight in us to do us good for
A PERSWASIVE TO FAMILY DEVOTION IT was an excellent resolution of Joshua As for me and my house we will serve the Lord a Josh 24. 15. which that great General solemnly declar'd to all the Tribes of Israel letting them know that whether they would as he had exhorted them serve the Lord or no and although all of them should forsake his Worship or bestow the honour due to him on false Gods yet for his part he had fully purpos'd that he would adhere to Jehovah the only true God and honour him with his religious service nor would he only do it himself but also take care that his own house or family and all belonging to it should do the same and it is a laudable instance of like piety in the good King David when he saith I will walk in my house with a perfect heart b Psa 101. 2. professing thereby his serious intention as a domestick Governour to discharge his duty to God with all sincerity and exactness in the discipline and good order of his Houshold in which it must be chiefly impli'd he would take great care that Religion might be there had in due regard and God be faithfully honour'd by himself and by all about him These examples of Domestick piety in two such eminent persons may well challenge the esteem and imitation of all who are Heads and Masters of Families and as many as are in that relation are to be put in mind that if they would be indeed religious if they will serve the Lord and do it with a perfect heart 't is not enough that it be done by themselves only but moreover they are to see to it that the Duties of Religion be perform'd by all under their charge There are indeed many offices of Christian Oeconomicks to which the Governours of Families are oblig'd as to make necessary provision for those of the Houshold to give them a good example of sobriety and all vertue and to discharge their particular obligations to their several Relatives as they are Husbands Fathers and Masters but the principal Duty and of greatest consequence is that they take care to have family Devotion exercis'd in their houses by daily prayer and reading the holy Scriptures this is that which God doth especially require of them and wherein the good and welfare both of themselves and those living with them is most of all concern'd and beside the general considerations moving hereunto taken from the adorable nature of God from our dependance on him and the great importance of piety in order to happiness There are some others which do more particularly respect domestick Governours and their Families As I. The honour and service of God for which we were all born ought carefully to be promoted by every good Christian for God made us for himself c Prov. 16. 4. and we are commanded in whatever we do to seek his glory d 1 Cor. 10. 31. it therefore behoveth us to improve all advantages for this great end and since the Governours of Families as such are in a capacity for setting up the worship of God and have power over those who live under their Roof for causing this holy exercise to be attended by them not to do it must needs be reckon'd a most hainous omission If a Christian Magistrate should make no provision for having the Duties of Religion publickly celebrated by his Subjects in all Parts of his Dominion 't would be judged a very scandalous neglect and it might justly be doubted whether he were really what he profess'd to be Now if the Prince be thus oblig'd to use his power for the service of God and Religion how can we judge otherwise of lesser Governours and how shall it be thought that Masters of Families have any true Principles towards God or any regard to his honour while they take no care to have his worship perform'd within their private jurisdiction If I be a Father saith God where is my honour If I be a Master where is my fear e Mal. 1. 6. It cannot be thought that men believe they have a Father in Heaven while they care not to give evidence of their dutiful observance and veneration of him and are not at all concern'd that reverential regard be paid him by others nor can we suppose they really own any severe Master above while they are not afraid to neglect his service and the promotion of his honour which is the work he hath impos'd on them and that for which they were sent into the World Wherefore domestick Governours as they would be thought to have understanding enough to know whence they are and for what they were made as they would avoid the most disgraceful and odious censure of being reckoned atheistical are highly concern'd both for attesting the reality of their Faith and Religion and for answering the great design of their being to employ the authority they have in their own houses for Gods glory in ordering the duties of Religion to be there piously observ'd by all belonging to them II. They may also consider it is most just and reasonable that some portions of that time which God hath given them should be allotted to himself and his service as well as all the rest to their own occasions and that he from whom they hold their Lives and Estates should daily be own'd and honour'd by their adoration and thanksgiving as they expect from their Servants that they execute their commands and labour in the work they set them about from the beginning of the day to the end thereof so they must not think it much if the great Master of us all who is in heaven f Eph. 6. 9. Col. 4. 1. have some share of their service each Morning and Evening God hath been pleas'd to take great care that the Governours of Families shall receive the duty and observance of all about them by giving strict charge that their Wives be subject g Col. 3. 18. 1 Pet. 3. 1. their Children obedient h Eph. 6. 1 2. Col. 3. 20. and that their Servants fulfill their commands with fear singleness of heart and good will i Eph. 6. 5 6 7. Col. 3. 22. 1 Pet. 2. 18. and therefore 't is but reason and ingenuity that they make like return to God by using their authority and best endeavour that the same members of their Families pay their just honour and service to him and this they cannot better do then by obliging them to the acts of his worship and the daily exercises of devotion But against those Christians in whose Families the worship of God is neglected the Heathen may one day rise up in judgment for their Religion such as it was they did not confine to their Temples abroad but paid moreover a devout regard at home to the Lares and Penates which were their Houshold Gods and therefore usually called dii familiares and by Tertullian dii domestici k Tertul.
thanksgiving to God and he doth propose it as a good means for restraining men from abuse of the Creatures by intemperate Eating or Drinking and also for procuring the blessing of God on both Soul and Body k Ad Pop. Antioch Homil. 89. We read in particular of the good Emperour Theodosius Junior that he would never eat or drink nor taste so much as a Fig or any other Fruit until he had first given thanks to the great Creatour l Soz. in praefat ad Hist Eccl. And when the Duty of Prayer was thus perform'd by them they did also usually read the holy Scriptures and Sing to the praise of God in pious Hymns by their frequent use of the Scriptures they knew how excellent and beneficial they were and did therefore value them accordingly for when in the Reign of Dioclesian there came forth an imperial Edict requiring that these sacred Volumes should be brought from their houses and given up for the Flames there were vast numbers of them who chose to suffer exquisite Torments and Death it self rather then they would be Traditores or such as would Sacrifice their Bibles to save themselves m Baron Ann. 302. The singing of Psalms was a great part of their Devotion and therefore Pliny in his account of the Christians to Trajan doth mention it as that wherein the Religious service of their Assemblies did chiefly consist that they did Carmen Christo quasi Deo canere secum invicem n Plin. l. 10. Epist 97. and it is related of the same Theodosius we mention'd before that he and his Sisters did use to sing devout Hymns very early in the morning with alternate voices o Soc. Hist Eccles l. 7. cap. 22. How in the houses of the ancient Christians the Duties of Prayer reading of the Scriptures and singing of Psalms were intermix'd with the refreshments of their ordinary Meals these passages do shew Non priùs discumbitur quà m oratio ad Deum praegustetur c. They never sit down to eat untill they have first tasted of Prayer after they have done eating one is called forth to sing to the praise of God as he is best able whether out of the holy Scriptures or else some Psalm of his own by this it is to be try'd how he hath drank likewise their Meal is concluded with Prayer So Tertullian of the Christians in his time p Apol. cap. 39. The whole life of a Christian is an holy Festival his Sacrifices are Prayers and Praises and Reading of the Scriptures before Meat Psalms also and Hymns at the time of eating thus Clemens of Alexandria q Strom. 7. Nor let the time of eating be void of heavenly grace let your temperate entertainment sound forth Psalms and since thou hast a good memory and musical Voice do then begin this duty after the usual manner they are the words of St. Cyprian r Ad Donat And moreover good care was taken by the Parents and Governours of Families in these elder times that the persons belonging to them might be religiously instructed and dispos'd to holy living as shall be made appear under our next consideration But the places which concern the Piety of the Ancient Christians at their times of eating I have the rather cited that they may be for instruction to us of the present Age. When we consider how religious their entertainments then were and that they serv'd for the nourishment of the Soul no less than the Body it may let us see how much we are degenerated from the pristine Sanctity and doth at once both reprove and shame the irreligion of our days in which it is too common with many who are called Christians to take their Meals no otherwise than the bruit Beasts do theirs save that they are less temperate than these they sit down at their Tables and rise again without looking up to Heaven without any acknowledgment or thanksgiving to him whose Creatures they all are by which they are sustain'd and whose Providence doth cater for them from day to day it must needs look ill and scandalous that after persons have at a long sitting been filling themselves from the bounty of the Creatour with the plentiful varieties of Earth Air and Water yet if they return him any thanks at all it is mostly done in such a superficial and lofty manner as if it were but a little inconsiderable Mode to be perform'd only for Fashions sake And at the entertainments of our times how often is it that instead of calling upon the name of God men prophane it by wicked Oaths instead of the Scriptures read the ears of the Company are taken up with loose and filthy Communication instead of holy Psalms they are made first merry and then mad with excess of liquors Such impieties cannot be allow'd in Families where the Governours of them are really good nor will they consist with that holy Discipline for which we are now pleading they are contrary to the ancient Practice of good Christians and much more to the Precepts of that holy Religion which we all profess Lastly the most pressing consideration and that which all Masters of Families should lay to heart is still behind it is that in this Duty of domestick Devotion the Eternal welfare of Souls is greatly concern'd for frequency in Prayer and reading of the Scriptures being so requisite as it is for the maintenance of holiness and a good life where these are neglected how can it be expected that persons will live as becometh the Gospel and as 't is requir'd of all whom God will admit into that holy Place which no unclean thing can enter ſ Rev. 21. 27. and where without holiness no man shall see his face t Heb. 12. 14. Is it not rather likely that in houses where the name of God is not call'd upon nor his Word read throughout the Week the Inhabitants will be Heathenish and wicked not having God in all their thoughts much less any fear of him or his Laws before their Eyes And what must become of such in the other World none can be ignorant that is acquainted with the Bible Now it cannot be doubted but Masters of Families are oblig'd in Conscience to seek the Spiritual good and future happiness of those under their Government if they provide not for them as to the necessaries of this temporal Life they have in St. Paul's account deny'd the Faith are worse than Infidels u 1 Tim. 5. 8. What Censure then shall they be thought to incurr if they altogether neglect their more noble part and take no care of them as to the things that concern their eternal good in the Life to come The holy Father of the faithful was highly favour'd by God as one who would endeavour that his Children and Houshold might fear the Lord and keep his way w Gen. 18. 19. holy Job was very careful that sin might not abide on those of his
and establish thou the work of our hands upon us yea the work of our hands establish thou it Forsake me not O Lord O my God be not far from me Teach me to do thy Will for thou art my God thy Spirit is good lead me into the Land of uprightness O Most great and glorious God the whole World is the work of thine hands and thou governest all things both in Heaven and Earth We do here admire and adore thy Wisdom Power and Goodness which are so visible and illustrious in all the great Works of Creation and Providence and we do humbly acknowledge our dependence upon thee who art the Author of our Life and the support of our Being by thee we have have been preserved and nourished ever since we were born and 't is of thy care and kindness that we are still sustained from morning to evening and from evening to morning When we consider the frailty of our nature and the many provocations of our life we see great reason to confess that 't is of thy mercy we are not consumed Grant O Lord that thy long suffering and goodness may lead us to repentance and as thy mercies are new to us every morning so we may renew our serious purposes of walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our dayes Remember not against us the errours of our former life neither punish us as we have deserved but through the redemption of thy beloved Son grant us pardon and reconciliation and make us partakers of all those rich benefits which he hath purchased And let the grace of God which hath brought Salvation teach us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts to live in the pious fear of thee and in faithful obedience to thy holy Laws But because of our selves we cannot stand upright let thy Grace be always sufficient for us strengthen us with all Spiritual Might in the inner man that neither our own corrupt affections nor yet the snares and temptations of the World may ever cause us to depart from thee but grant that the Principles of faith and holiness being firmly rooted in us we may be always stedfast and immoveable in our Christian Practice suffer us not to be too much in love with the things of this World nor to lay up our treasure here on Earth but grant that our affections may be chiefly set on things above and our treasure laid up in Heaven where it will never perish nor be taken from us while we are busie about many things that concern this present life help us still to remember the one thing necessary making it our greatest care to provide for our eternal State in the life hereafter As long as thou shalt continue our abode in this World let thy good Providence watch over our persons and supply all our wants help us to be thankful in prosperity patient in affliction and in every condition to be therewith content and do thou so order and govern the several events and passages of our life that they may all help us forward in our way to Heaven O Lord defend and preserve thy Church Universal enlarge its borders and purge it more and more from all Errour and Corruption bless this Land of our Nativity with Peace and Unity with the continuance of thy Truth and Gospel the encrease of righteousness and all Christian vertues Bless the King's Majesty with sound wisdom and all princely endowments that his Reign may be prosperous and the People happy under him be favourable to all our Friends and Relations bestowing upon them all those good things that may be for their comfort in this life and their eternal happiness in that to come Extend thy pity to such as labour under any trouble or distress give them strength to bear their affliction and in thy due time an happy deliverance We do also present unto thee our sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving for thy care over us the night past that our bodies have been refreshed with sleep and our life continued to another day as thou doest afford us a longer time in the land of the living so lengthen out thy favour and loving kindness by which alone our life can be safe and comfortable to us and teach us so to number our daies that we may apply our hearts to heavenly wisdom to make a right use of our time by doing good works while it is day because the night is coming in which none can work O Lord let thy good Providence and heavenly Grace be present with us and watching over us throughout this day to secure us from dangers and every unhappy accident to preserve us from evil actions and to assist us in those that be good make our way prosperous in every business and undertaking and guide us always by thy Counsels till we shall come to thine everlasting Kingdom Through thy rich mercy in our blessed Sunday Morning Saviour Jesus Christ in whose name and merits we offer up these our Petitions and conclude them in his own words 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 Thy grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy love O heavenly Father thy Fellowship and Communion O holy and blessed Spirit be with us all this day and for ever A Psalm and Prayer for the Morning on the Lords day BY the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the Host of them by the breath of his mouth He gathereth all the waters of the Sea together as a heap he layeth up the deep in Storehouses Let all the earth fear the Lord and all the Inhabitants of the World stand in awe of him For he spoke and it was done he commanded and it stood fast Know ye that the Lord he is good it is he that hath made us and not we our selves we are his People and the Sheep of his Pasture Enter into his Gates with Thanksgiving and into his Courts with Praise be thankful unto him and bless his Name They that trust in their Wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches None of them can by any means redeem his brother nor give to God a ransom for him But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave for he shall receive me I have set the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoiceth my flesh also shall rest in hope For thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption O how amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts My soul longeth even fainteth for the
harm but that we may be constant and steddy in our Faith and Duty and by a continuance of well doing may attain that life Eternal and Crown of Glory which thou hast promis'd Bless thy Church throughout the World that it may flourish in truth and holiness and remain safe from all persecuting Powers Be thou favourable to this Church and Kingdom to which we belong continue thy Gospel to us and grant that Piety Justice and whatever is is requisite to make us a good and happy people may encrease and abound We implore thy pity for all in any trouble or calamity whether of Soul or Body that thou wouldst please to afford them thy comfort and seasonable relief And we likewise beg thy favour and special kindness for all our friends that thou wouldst bestow thy blessings upon them both for life and godliness Accept O Lord our return of thanks for thy goodness continued to us the day past that thou doest still supply us with accommodations for the support and comfort of our lives that thou hast preserved us from many evils which if left to our selves we should have fallen into and that we are still alive whereas so many others have been this day cut off from the land of the living we bless thee for sparing us so long and granting us so large a time for making our calling and election sure help us to improve thy long-suffering and the day of Grace by working out our own salvation That when ever thou shalt call us hence we may be ready and prepar'd to enter into the joy of our Lord. We commend our persons and all belonging to us to thy care and protection this night defend us from our ghostly enemies and let no evil come nigh our dwelling grant us a quiet and comfortable repose and that we may awake in safety the next morning dispos'd both in body and mind for thy service Hear us O merciful Father and fulfil our desires for the sake of our blessed Saviour who sitteth at thy right hand in whose words we continue to pray unto thee 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 Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O heavenly Father thy Fellowship and Communion O holy and blessed Spirit be with us and abide with us henceforth and for ever A Psalm and Prayer for the Evening Sunday Evening on the Lords day O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches When I consider thy Heavens the work of thy fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained What is man that thou art mindful of him and the Son of man that thou visitest him For thou hast made him little lower than the Angels and hast crowned him with glory and honor Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thine hands thou hast put all things under his feet Why do the heathen rage and the people imagin a vain thing The Kings of the earth set themselves and the Princes take Counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed Let us break his bands asunder and cast away their cords from us He that sitteth in the Heavens shall laugh the Lord shall have them in derision Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure Yea I have set my King upon my holy hill of Sion I will declare the decree the Lord hath said unto me thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost part of the earth for thy possession The Lord hath sent redemption unto his people he hath commanded his covenant for ever holy and reverend is his name He hath shewed his word unto Jacob his Statutes and his judgments unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any nation and for his judgments they have not known them praise ye the Lord. ALmighty and most glorious God we acknowledge thy great grace and favour in permitting us to wait upon thee from time to time with our devotion and supplications thou art most perfect and happy in thy self not needing any service of ours and yet thou art pleased to invite and command us to come unto thee thou art the high and lofty one the Maker and Governour of all the World and yet doest condescend to receive the addresses of us thy Creatures who are vile dust and ashes We must confess O Lord that our righteousness doth not extend to thee nor can our religious performances deserve thine acceptance for there is iniquity in our most holy things we do not attend upon thee with that humility and reverence with that faith and servency which thou mayest justly require When we draw near unto thee with our lips our hearts are often far from thee we present our bodies before thee when the thoughts and affections of our souls are running after vanity And since our best Duties are so liable to thy displeasure how much more the ordinary and common actions of our life and how can we stand before thy justice if thou shouldst call us to a strict account for all our careless omissions of Duties by thee required and our many commissions of what thy Law hath expresly forbidden If thou shouldst be extreme to mark what is done amiss O Lord who could abide it but thou art a God full of compassion and plenteous in mercy and thou hast given thine own Son to be our Mediator though we have no righteousness or oblation of our own that can procure thy favour yet be thou gracious to us for the sake of him who is the Lord our righteousness and for the merit of his most perfect Sacrifice which he made for us when he offered up himself a Lamb without spot or blemish let the blood of Christ cleanse us from all unrighteousness and purge our conscience from dead works to serve the living God And that we may from henceforth walk as the redeemed of the Lord unto all well-pleasing give unto us thy grace and holy Spirit for the mortification of sin and the sanctifying of us throughout in Soul Spirit and in Body grant that our hearts and lives may be conform'd to thy heavenly Will and the Precepts of thine holy Gospel that we may fear thee at all times and love thee above all things and serve thee with our chiefest care and endeavour let not the love of any worldly good or the fear of any temporal evil cause us to turn aside from thee into any sinful practice but grant that we may still account it our
highest interest to please thee and enjoy thy favour and that we may be more careful and diligent in securing our eternal happiness hereafter then for the momentary things of this present life help us often to consider the vanity of this World the approach of death and the certainty of a future judgment and to fix our thoughts on the recompence of reward that so we may be stedfast and immoveable in the Duties of our Christian profession as well knowing that our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. And because our life is but a vapour which doth quickly vanish and we know not how soon thou wilt bring us to the dust of death give us daily to prepare for our great change and to be doing good while we have time and opportunity because there is no work nor understanding in the Grave whither we are going We render our due thanks for thy great mercy and long suffering in the continuance of our life hitherto and lengthening out unto us the day of Grace and Salvation whereas so many others who might have lived to this time as well as we have been removed from the land of the living And we bless thy great name both in behalf of our selves and this whole Nation for the free use of the holy Scriptures the truth of thy heavenly Doctrine and the purity of thy Worship That thou hast so long preserved the religion profess'd among us notwithstanding the many attempts that have been made against it help us all to value and improve these inestimable blessings and be thou pleas'd still to continue them to us for all generations We thank thee in particular for the opportunities of waiting upon thee this day in the Duties of thy solemn Worship pardon all the defects and infirmities of our religious service accept our Devotions at the hands of our great high Priest and let the Prayers of us and thy whole Church obtain thy gracious acceptance as presented to thee with the incense of his Merits Let thy word abide in us taking root in our hearts and bringing forth good fruit in our life and actions and grant that all the pious instructions we at any time receive may prove effectual for building us up in our holy Faith and helping us forward in the way of holiness which leadeth to eternal life We beg thy mercy for all those Nations which yet sit in darkness and in the shadow of death that the Sun of Righteousness may arise upon them to guide their feet into the way of peace And be thou pleas'd to extend thy fatherly piety to all the distressed Members of thy Church giving them seasonable relief in all their afflictions and necessities more especially be thou near at hand to the comfort and deliverance of all those who are any where oppressed or persecuted for the sake of thy Truth and Gospel and grant that the rage of thine and thy peoples enemies may be at length restrained cause the wickedness of the wicked to come to a perpetual end but let the just be established We recommend to thy special care our own particular friends and all more nearly related to us that thou wouldest bless them in their souls and bodies and give them all the good things that may be for their prosperity here and their eternal happiness hereafter Finally we desire for our selves thy favourable kindness this ensuing night grant us to lie down in peace with thee and under thy protection let thy watchful providence secure us from all the perils of darkness and command thine holy Angels to be our defence against that evil one who like a roaring Lion seeketh day and night whom he may devour give us a sweet repose and bring us in safety to another day And grant that all the days of our life we may honour and serve thee and at length receive the glorious reward of everlasting life through Jesus Christ in whose blessed Name and Words we further pray unto thee 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 trepasses 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 Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O Heavenly Father thy Fellowship and Communion O holy and blessed Spirit be with us this Night and for evermore DEVOTIONS When any Person is sick A short Prayer with which to begin ALmighty God who hearest In sickness Prayer and art near unto all that call upon thee thou art our only refuge in trouble and hast commanded us in the time of sickness to Pray one for another that we may be healed O let our cry come unto thee and be thou intreated for thy Servant who is afflicted in body We do confess we are altogether unworthy to intercede with thee by reason of our manifold sins for which we do here humble our selves with hearty repentance most earnestly begging thy gracious pardon for the sake of our blessed Redeemer who is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World through him be thou reconcil'd unto us and with Fatherly compassion receive our Prayers which we do not presume to offer up but in his Name and Mediation who suffered for us and is ready to pity the sufferings of others To him with thy self and the holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory world without end Amen These Portions of Scripture may be suitable to the condition of the Sick Psalms 6. 25. 27. 31. 32. 34. 38. 42. 73. 88. 103. Job 1. 2. 5. 7. Isa 38. Lament 3. Mat. 8. Rom. 8. 2 Cor. 4. and 5. Heb. 12. A Psalm LIke as a Father pitieth his Children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him For he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are dust As for man his days are as Grass as a Flower of the Field so he flourisheth For the wind passeth over it and it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his righteousness unto Childrens Children Blessed is he that considereth the poor the Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive and he shall be blessed upon earth The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man that would know me refuge failed me and no man cared for my soul I cried unto the Lord I said thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living Attend unto my cry for I am brought very
will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee To see thy Power and thy Glory so as I have seen thee in thy Sanctuary Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy Courts we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house even of thy holy Temple The Heavens are thine the Earth also is thine as for the World and the fulness thereof thou hast founded them I will praise thee for I am fearfully and and wonderfully made marvellous are thy works and that my soul knoweth right well My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth Thy Eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy book all my Members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities I will praise the Lord with my whole heart in the Assembly of the upright and in the Congregation The works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein His Work is honourable and glorious and his righteousness endureth for ever He hath made his wonderful Works to be remembred the Lord is gracious and full of compassion I praise the Lord for thou art become my Salvation The Stone which the builders refused is become the head Stone of the Corner This is the Lords doing it is marvellous in our Eyes This is the day which the Lord hath made I will rejoice and be glad in it MOst gracious God blessed be thy name that thou hast brought me to a new day and to another Christian Sabbath That thou doest not only lengthen out my natural life but also the means and opportunities of Grace for obtaining the life eternal Thou alone art worthy to receive adoration and Praise from Men and Angels and 't is the greatest honour I am capable of to be employed in thy Service But I do acknowledge my self very unworthy to approach thy presence or to receive any token of thy favour for I am a polluted Sinner and my whole life hath been a continued disobedience against thee and thy righteous Laws I have neglected the good Duties by thee requir'd but have been very forward to do those evil things which thy Law hath forbidden And my sins are much the more hainous and provoking because committed against the light of thy Gospel the great obligations of thy Mercies and after Vows and Promises of better Obedience Wherefore I do here humble my self at thy Footstool lamenting all the Offences of my former life and earnestly begging thy gracious pardone O Lord I do condemn my self but be thou pleas'd to acquit me for the Merits and Mediation of thine own Son who hath fulfill'd all righteousness and made a perfect Atonement by the Sacrifice of himself And as I pray to be freed from the guilt of sin by Justification so I desire to be deliver'd from the Power and Dominion of it by thy sanctifying Grace Be thou pleas'd to mortifie in me all corrupt lusts and sinful affections and to renew me after thine own Image in righteousness and true holiness To this end bless unto me thine holy Ordinances make them effectual for my spiritual benefit and grant that in the religious Duties of this holy day I may sanctifie thee in my heart and make thee my fear and dread O Lord this is a day set apart for thine honour in remembrance of the Worlds Creation which thou didst complete in six days and of our redemption by Christ which was finished by his Resurrection I do therefore ascribe unto thee Praise Thanksgiving and Worship for this glorious Fabrick of Heaven and Earth and the whole variety of Creatures contain'd in them more especially for that excellent being thou hast given to man whom thou didst make after thine own likeness and advance to an eminence and dominion over the Works of thine hands I do with all humble reverence own and adore thee as the Author of mine own life and being yielding thee due thanks that thou hast placed me in the highest rank of thy Creatures that thou hast endow'd me with a reasonable soul and such noble faculties as do fit me for the Knowledge and Service of thy self and the happy enjoyment of thee for ever And prais'd be thy Name for thy great Mercy and rich Grace in sending thine only begotten Son from thine own bosom to redeem Mankind from Sin and Misery and to direct the World in the right way of Life and Salvation I bless thee for the manifestation of the Gospel by him Preached and for the great confirmation of it by his Resurrection from the dead let the light of this Heavenly Doctrine shine over all the Earth that so all the Kingdoms thereof may become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ Be propitious to that part of the World where thy Gospel is already planted let thy Church be reformed more and more from all corruptions both of Doctrine and Practice remove all the unhappy causes of discord and division that all who profess thy Name may agree in thy Truth and live in Unity and Godly Love More especially be thou gracious to this Church and Kingdom whereof I am a Member pardon our abuse of thy great Mercies and all other our provocations grant that the Inhabitants of the Land may turn from the evil of their ways unto the Lord their God that thou mayest rejoice over us to do us good give us outward peace and prosperity and continue thy Gospel and true Religion to us and the Posterities that shall come after us I beg thy kindness for all who are my particular friends or more nearly related to me that thou wouldest bless them in their persons and in all their concernments both of this life and of that which is to come And ô thou who art the Father of Mercy and God of all consolation shew thy tender pity to all who are under pain sickness want sorrow or any other calamity and wherever there be any that suffer persecution for the sake of righteousness or in defence of thy Truth and Gospel be thou near to them for their comfort and happy deliverance Have respect O God to the Prayers and Supplications of thy people which shall this day be offer'd up in the Christian Assemblies throughout the World assist and bless thy holy Word which shall be preached that men may be edified by it in sound Faith and real Godliness Be merciful O Lord to me thy Servant lift thou upon me the light of thy Countenance and let thy Grace be alwaies present with me grant that on this thy day I may not only abstain from worldly employments but also from all the works of Sin give me a spiritual temper of mind that my
to walk as becomes the Gospel having a Conscience void of offence both towards God and towards Men that as he who hath called me is holy so I may be holy in all manner of conversation Take off my affections from earthly things which are vain and perishing and set them on the things above in which alone my true happiness doth consist fit me by suitable grace for every dispensation of thy Providence that I may know how to want and how to abound how to mourn or rejoyce how to be in sickness or in health and in every condition to be therewith content let thy Fatherly wisdom cause all things to work together for good unto me and that the several occurrences of the present life may help me forward in my Christian course towards the attainment of eternal Salvation And because my nature is frail my life uncertain and I know not how soon I shall be taken from the land of the living help me seriously to consider my latter end to be still preparing for death and by numbring my dayes to apply mine heart to sound wisdom that when I shall put off this earthly Tabernacle I may be admitted into an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens O God who art the Creatour of mankind and didst send thine own Son that the World through him might be saved extend thy goodness to all the kindreds of the earth causing the light of thy glorious Gospel to shine upon them that their feet may be guided into the way of peace and everlasting happiness let all Nations become subject to the Kingdom of thy Christ and the number of thine Elect be filled up that the glory of thy Salvation may be revealed Accept O Lord my evening oblation of Praise and Thanksgiving for all thy rich Mercies vouchsafed to me I bless thee for my being since by thee I have been fearfully and wonderfully made for thy preservation of me to this moment and for all the accommodations and comforts of the present life But above all I magnifie and adore thine inestimable goodness in making known unto me the way of salvation and happiness by Jesus Christ in continuing to me the seasons of Grace and of waiting upon thee in thine holy Ordinances help me to make such a good and pious use of all thy benefits as may be for thy glory and for mine own eternal welfare And since thy wise Providence hath ordain'd that the Night should succeed the Day as a time of rest and refreshment I pray thee that this Night may be so to me thy Servant grant me to be safe and secure under thy protection from all the terrours and perils of darkness and to awake the next morning in health and safety O Lord hear my Prayer and let thy presence and loving-kindness alwaies be with me to the end of my life for the sake of thine only begotten Son my alone Saviour to whom with thy divine Majesty and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory World without End Amen Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O Heavenly Father thy Fellowship and Communion O holy and blessed Spirit be with me henceforth and for evermore Amen A Psalm and Prayer to be us'd by a Person who is under Sickness O Lord rebuke me not in thy In sickness wrath neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed My soul is also sore vexed but thou Lord how long Return O Lord deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the grave who shall give thee thanks Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Wash me throughly from mine inquity and cleanse me from my sin Why art thou cast down ô my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Yea though I walk thorow the Valley of the shadow of death yet will I fear no evil for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff comfort me O Lord my times are in thy hand deliver me from the hand of mine enemies Let my soul live and it shall praise thee and let thy judgments help me Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee My flesh and my heart faileth me but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever ALmighty God and most merciful Father thou art the Author of my being and as my life my health and strength are from thee so they are and ought to be at thy dispose and I do humbly confess that because of my sinfulness and disobedience 't is just with thee to afflict me with sickness and pain yea and to cut me off from the Land of the Living O Lord I bear about me a body of Sin and Death and am liable to the penalties of that first transgression for by one man Sin entered into the World and Death by Sin Likewise the practice of my life hath been very evil and my sins still repeated from day to day I have not made it my chief business to serve and glorifie thee which is the end of my Creation nor hath the time of my life and health been employ'd as it ought in doing and receiving good The faculties of my Soul and Members of my Body have been made the instruments of Sin I have not been duly thankful for thy manifold Mercies nor made a right use of them and I have too much despis'd thy goodness and forbearance which should have lead me to repentance I do therefore acknowledg the justice of thy dealings for why should a man complain of the punishment of his sins But O thou Father of Mercies who delightest not in the death of a sinner be favourable unto me Enter not into judgment with thy servant neither let thine anger wax hot against me but forgive my Sin and deliver me for in thee do I trust I know O Lord that afflictions rise not from the Dust but are of thy sending and I do desire to hear the voice of thy Rod and to turn to him that smiteth I do with hearty repentance humble my self at thy footstool lamenting all the errours of my former life and I do give up my Soul and Body to thy Will and Governance resolving and promising by thy Grace to live and act hereafter in all holy obedience to thee and thy righteous commands O deal not with me after mine iniquities nor punish me as I have deserved but remember the sufferings of thy Son who himself bore our sicknesses and the punishment due to us in his own death I believe in him as my alone Saviour my trust is in his Merits and I do humbly beg for his sake that thou wouldst be reconcil'd unto me that thou wouldest heal my Body and comfort my Soul O God who art the preserver of men who hast declared in thy word that thou art nigh unto such as pray unto thee and hast promised to deliver when call'd upon in the day of trouble be thou pleas'd to bow down thine ear and extend thy compassion in removing the distemper under which I now labour do thou who art the great Physitian prescribe and bless the means that may be for my recovery and restore me again if it be thy blessed Will to a state of health and strength then will I praise thee with a thankful heart and will serve thee faithfully all my daies But I do humbly submit my self to thy good pleasure and not my will but thine be done Though thou visit with thy Rod yet take not thy loving kindness from me and while my body shall be afflicted be thou pleas'd to strengthen and support my Soul with thy Grace and inward consolation help me with chearfulness and Christian patience to bear thy chastisement with a firm and constant faith to trust in thee and thy pretious promises Grant that this present visitation may be sanctifi'd to my spiritual benefit and through thy wise ordering in the issue turn to my real advantage and that I may by experience know that in very faithfulness thou hast afflicted me Let this thy fatherly correction teach me to be more dutiful and obedient and grant that by considering the vanity and uncertainty of health of life and worldly enjoyments I may be the more careful to set my affections on things above and to breath after that immortal life of perfect bliss which thy Gospel hath promis'd And grant O Lord that whether in health or sickness in prosperity or affliction I may still honour and serve thee that whether I live I may live unto thee and whether I die I may die unto thee that whether I live or die I may be thine And so an entrance may be ministred to me into the everlasting Kingdom of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ In whose Name and Merits I do earnestly recommend unto thee my present condition and all my Concern both of Soul and Body praying further in his Words Our Father c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ my Redeemer thy Love O Heavenly Father thy Consolation O blessed Spirit of Grace be with me and all thy People henceforth and for evermore Amen FINIS