unto God with my voice even unto God will I cry with my voice and he shall hearken unto me In the time of my trouble I sought the Lord my sore ran and ceased not in the night season my Soul refused comfort When I am in heaviness I wiâ—l think upon God when my heart is vexed I will complain Thou holdest mine eyes waking I am so feeble that I cannot speak I have considered the days of old and the years that are past I call to remembrance my Song and in the night I commune with mine own heart and search out my Spirits Will the Lord absent himself for ever and will he be no more intreated Is his mercy clean gone for ever and his Promise come utterly to an end for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious and will he shut up his loving kindness in displeasure And I said it is mine own infirmity but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most highest I will remember the works of the Lord and call to mind thy wonders of old time I will think also of all thy works and my talking shall be of thy doings Thy way O God is holy who is so great a God as our God Thou art the God that dost wonders and hast declared thy power among the people Thou hast mightily delivered thy people even the Sons of Jacob and Joseph The Waters saw thee O God the Waters saw thee and were afraid the Depths were troubled The Clouds also poured out Water the Air thundred and thine Arrows went abroad The voice of thy Thunder was heard round about the Lightning shone upon the Ground the Earth was moved and shook withal Thy way is in the Sea and thy paths in the great Waters and thy footsteps are not known Thou leadest thy People like Sheep by the hand of Moses and Aaron Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. A Prayer for Saturday Morning For God's Providence MOst gracious God I yield thee humble and hearty thanks for preserving and defending me this night past from all those Perils and Dangers which poor Dust and Ashes are subject to fall into Had I not been preserved by thy almighty Providence I had long since both Body and Soul been carried into everlasting Perdition but thou art a God infinite in Mercy and whose compassions fail not towards poor Sinners by supporting them in their several necessities II. Vouchsafe O Lord to forgive whatsoever I have committed against thy divine Majesty this Night either sleeping or waking or at any other time secretly or openly Grant unto me unfeigned Repentance and newness of Life open unto me O Lord that ever-streaming Fountain which thou hast opened for Sinners even the Blood of thy dear Son Christ Jesus and which thou hast promised under the New Testament to open to the penitent of the House of David III. Give unto me thy holy Spirit which thou hast promised to give to the World's end unto all thine elect People and let the same thine holy Comforter purge my heart heal my Corruptions sanctifie my Nature and consecrate my Soul and Body that they may become lively Temples to serve thee in Righteousness and Holiness all the days of my Life Give me I earnestly beseech thee a supply of all those Graces I stand in need of with an increase of all those good Gifts thou hast endowed me with IV. As thou hast now wakened my Body from Sleep so I beseech thee rouse my Soul from the sleep of Sin and carnal Security give me Grace as a Child of Light to walk in all holy Obedience before thee this day and grant me to endeavour to keep Faith and a good Conscience towards Thee and towards all Men. V. To this end I recommend my self with all my ways thoughts words and actions together with all that belongs to me unto thy divine Protection praying thee to keep both them and me from all Evil and to give a Blessing to all my undertakings this Day and for evermore Amen A Prayer for Saturday Noon For Tranquility of Spirit O Most merciful God and loving Father who beholdest all the dwellers upon Earth and none can live without thy arm of Providence supports him No sooner do I enter upon the Affairs of this World but I am surrounded about with a cloud of Miseries the Flesh provokes me to Lust the World allures me to Pleasures and the Devil tempts me to commit all manner of Wickedness II. Fears of Enemies abroad afright me Wrongs of ill Neighbours do oppress me Cares for the things of this Life do consume me and even all the day long something or other doth afflict and torment me Adversity on the one hand frets me and Prosperity on the other hand flatters me Over my head Heaven's Vengeance due to my Sins is ready to fall heavy upon me and under my feet Hell gapes ready to devour me III. Amidst those many toils and perplexities where to find rest I know not or to fly for succour but to thee O Lord most holy and mighty direct me and guide me in these difficulties protect me from these Perils and dangers settle me in a course of Godliness and let me walk soberly and circumspectly as becometh a Good Christian spending and ending that small remnant of days which thou hast allotted me in this World in thy Fear and Service IV. Teach me so to number my days that I may apply my heart unto true Wisdom Make me wise unto Salvation simple to that which is Evil and prone to that which is Good Fructifie me unto good works and grant that I may be Charitable Peaceable and Conscionable towards all men now and for evermore Amen A Prayer for Saturday Night For Remission of Sins O Almighty God I humbly beseech thee to bury all my Sins and Transgressions in thy Grave which I have committed from my Infancy unto this present against thy divine Majesty Be thou O Lord my light in darkness then shall my light shine clear as the day II. O God the Father of Heaven have mercy upon me and bless me O God the Son Redeemer of all the World preserve and keep me O holy and blessed Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son deliver me this Night from all Sin and Evil O holy blessed and glorious Trinity Three Persons and One God direct guide and sanctifie me III. Be thou my protector and defender amidst all dangers that when I lay me down to rest I may fear no Evil And grant O Lord at my last hour thy spiritual illumination that when my strength faileth and the light of my Eyes is departed from me mine Ears wax deaf and my Mouth dumb and all my senses have forsaken me then infuse some sense into me of eternal Life that I may taste and relish in this mortal Body the beginning of thy everlasting Comfort that at my departure out of this World I may by the Eye of Faith
THE Devout Companion Containing PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS FOR Every Day in the Week AND FOR Several Occasions Ordinary and Extraordinary Psal 55. 17. Evening and Morning and at Noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my Voice The Twelfth Edition LONDON 〈…〉 Henry Rhodes at the 〈…〉 he corner of Brile 〈…〉 1699. TO THE Truly Honoured The LADY J. C. MADAM AT Your Request these ensuing Prayers and Meditations were composed which I here present to Your view not that You want my weak Instructions for You are known to be so good a Proficient in God's School and have more of this Heavenly Language by Heart than I can instruct you by Precept The Meditations I have taken from the Psalms of that sweet singer of Israel the Royal Prophet and this Key opens not only the Kingdom of Grace but the Kingdom of Heaven too it being an exact Composure of all Christian Vertues No Worshipping can be more true or more spiritual than the Psalter said with a pure Mind and a hearty Devotion For David was God's Instrumeâ—t to the Church teaching and admonishing as our Duty is to each other in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs making melody to the Lord. In your Voyage to the Almighty You might have I doubt not a better Card or Compass to sail by than this Form of Prayer which I prescribe yet I beseech You encourage others by Your pious Example to feed upon this Milk for Babes those which are weak by tasting of it your Self So recommending it to Your Pious Acceptation wishing You all Happiness that this Earthly Paradise can afford whist You remain upon Earth and at the last a Crown of Immorral Glory in the highest Heavens is the earnest desire of Madam Your humble and faithful Servant in Christ Jesus E. S. THE Devout Companion Containing MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS For every Day in the Week c. A Preparatory Prayer against wandring Thoughts and vain Imaginations Thrice Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity Three Persons and One God have mercy upon me a miserable Sinner O Almighty God the only Giver and Bestower of all good things and without whose special Favour and Grace no Man hath Power to perform any spiritual Duty as he ought to do O Lord I know not what to pray for as I ought O let thy Spirit help my Infirmities and enable me to offer up a spiritual Sacrifice acceptable to thee by Jesus Christ II. Make me to remember into whose Presence I am come and with whom I have to do even with a God of infinâ—te Majesty before whom the Cherubims veil their Faces as being astonished at the Presence of so great a God as thou art How dare I then a moâ—t vile and sinful Creature who am but Dust and Ashes presume to appear at this time before thee who have drunk Iniquity like Water breaking so often thy holy Laws and Commandments by committing those things thou forbiddest and leaving undone those good things thou commandest III. But I come unto thee O Lord in the name of thy dear Son Jesus Christ the Righteous who hath redeemed me with his most precious Blood O then look upon me in him and for the merits of his Sufferings pardon all my Sins and blot out my Offences Strike an awful reverence in my Soul that I may continually keep a watch over my Thoughts Words and Actions least my Presumption and want of due Reverence unto thy Deity should turn my Prayers into Sin IV. Give me a lively apprehension of all my wants and necessities and a right Understanding both of those Blessings which I have received from thee and of those great Mercies which thou hast promised to bestow on them that ask thee that so I may be endued with Expressions both for Prayer and Thankfulness and may become able by the assistance of thy Grace to pour out my Soul continually before thee Support me with Faith that I may come with a good assurance to thy Throne of Grace to offer up my earnest Supplications unto thee and let me not go away from thy presence without a Blessing V. Grant Lord that this holy Exercise of Prayer may prove a delight to me O make me constant and diligent in the use of it remembring the speedy access the Prayers of the Faithful have in thy Presence and what a great Privilege it is for poor Mortals to unfold their Wants and lay open their Desires and Griefs before thee VI. Ever O Lord let the end of my Prayers be to thy Glory always exercising a Conscience void of Offence by offering up my Thanksgivings for Mercies received as I shall be earnest in suing for those Gifts and Graces I stand in need of Grant this O heavenly Father for the sake of thy dear Son my only Saviour and Redeemer Amen Meditations for Sunday THis is the Day which the Lord hath made a Day of Rest to our Bodies and for the Benefit of our Souls O let us rejoice and be glad in it all the Days of our L 〈…〉 leaving off our worldly Thoughts and Employments and be â—eeking after our future Happiness II. Great iâ— the Lord and great is the Honour of this day above all others The Jews kept Holy the Seventh Day and we Christians the Sunday or Lord's Day They in their Sabbath were especially to remember the Creation of the World but we in ours the Resurrection of Christ who hath made a way for us into that better worâ—d which we expect hereafter III. This convinceth the Folly of the Jews who are so superstitious in observing the Ceremony of Rest as that they think they ought not to prepare any Food for their bodily sustenance on the Sabbath-Day neither do any work tho' it be for the Resection of Life it self But God in the Institution of the Sâ—bbath so rested whose Example we ought to imitate as that he ce 〈…〉 not in â—â—sting from doing good but in câ—â—sing to Create he continued to Preserve of which our Saviour saith My Father worketh hitherto and I work IV. This Day is set apart to be employed in the Worship and Service of God First more solemnly and publickly in the House of God from whence none ought to absent himself unless sickness or some extraordinary occasion prevent him Secondly at home privately praying with your Family or in your Closet exercising those other Duties of Reading and Meditation V. O Praise the Lord then O my Soul and enter into Contemplation with thy self upon all his Mercies Consider what a great Benefit it is to thee that there is such a set time weekly for thy spiritual Relief and Comfort cast off all worldly Business then and freely embrace this joyful Day of harvest whereby we may lay up in store for the whole Week nay even for our whole Lives VI. This day furnishes us with that Golden Rule by which we may square all our Actions and at last attain to the perfection of him whom the Royal Psalmist makes
the ends of the world In them hath he set a Tabernacle for the Sun which cometh forth as a Bridegroom out of his Chamber and rejoiceth as a giant to run his course It goeth forth from the uttermost part of the Heaven and runneth about unto the end of it again and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof The Law of the Lord is an undefiled Law converting the Soul the Testimony of the Lord is sure and giveth wisdom unto the simple The Statutes of the Lord are right and rejoice the heart the Commandment of the Lord is pure and giveth light unto the Eyes The fear of the Lord is clean and endureth for ever the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether More to be desired are they than gold yea than much fine gold sweeter also than honey and the honey-comb Moreover by them is thy servant taught and in keeping of them there is great reward Who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou me from my secret faults Keep thy servant also from presumptuous sins lest they get the dominion over me so shall I be undefiled and innocent from the great offence Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be always acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. A Prayer for Wednesday Morning For Repentance O Eternal God before whom all Creatures both in Heaven and Earth do bow fear and tremble I a most wretched and miserable Creature dejected with the weighty burthen of my Sins fly unto thee for Succour Plant in my heart the Fear of thy Name and in my body the purity and cleanness of Charity and let them abide there for ever Cleanse me from all my secret Sins and preserve me from presumptuous and great Offences Touch my heart O God with true Repentance that thy Judgments present and imminent may be prevented and removed and the overflowing silver stream and current of thy Mercies be never at an end II. Be gracious to my Relations in the flesh my Friends in the spirit with all those to whom I am any way bounden or desire to be commended unto thee in my Prayers and Supplications Expel O Lord and cast out of my heart all evil Imagination Hatred Malice and all Uncharitableness and whatsoever is contrary to thy holy Commandments III. I praise thy holy Name for thy preservation of me this Night past for the Gifts and Graces of thy Blessed Spirit as Faith in thy Promises Hope of a better Life when this is ended and strength against all the temptations of Satan all which have proceeded from the Fountain of thy Mercy As thou hast of thy Providence kept me ever since I was born and in Mercy preserved me the beginning of this Week so to my Comfort grant me the continuance of the same through Jesus Christ my only Redeemer and Advocate Amen A Prayer for Wednesday Noon For God's particular Care of us O Almighty God I cry unto thee for Mercy by reason my Sins cry against me for Justice all the day long will I lift up my Heart unto thee shut not thine Ear O Lord but hear my complaint and that right soon Let me in all things see that I am upheld by thee Let me perceive it is thy Work by the Health of my Body and Peace of my Conscience in the Gift of my Mind the Credit of my Name and the Work of my Calling II. But alas can there be greater Mercies O Lord than thou hast already expressed towards me for whilst I have enjoyed all thy Mercies others have lived in penury and want in ignorance profaneness and without thee in the World III. What can I render unto the Lord for all his Mercies towards me Let me not pledge Joseph's Botler in his Cup of Oblivion but David rather in his Cup of Salvation and if my single heart be too barren of thankfulness let me borrow a magnificat O my Soul to magnifie Thee O Lord and let my Spirit rejoyce in thee O God my Saviour What shall I say unto thee O thou Redeemer of all Mankind I will praise thy holy Name For evermore inspire me with thy Spirit convert me from Evil confirm me in all Goodness and bring me at last unto thy heavenly Kingdom Amen A Prayer for Wednesday Night For deliverance from Sin MOST merciful God I beseech thee to open the Eyes of my understanding that I may come to a particular knowledge of my secret Sins especially those I am most inclined to Soften my hard and flinty heart that I may sigh and groan under tâ—â— weight of my most pressing sins and acknowledge them a Burthen too heavy for me to bear II. Stir up in me all dull and dead Affections that I may hunger and thirst after thee the well-spring of Life Forgive me all my misdemeanours of this day past make me to remember that Sin is filthy and loathsome even in the greatest pleasure and act thereof teach me to keep a continual watch over my inward and outward Man whereby I may be afraid to commit the least Sin that so I may walk according to thy holy will in all things III. Give me this Night sweet and comfortable rest and fit me O Lord for the duties and service of the next day Turn from me O Lord those judgments which my sins have justly deserved and renew those hopes which thou hast been pleased to frustrate crown me with those blessings which thou hast promised to all these that fear thy Name so that at the last I may attain everlasting Happiness and live with thee in perpetual peace and safety for evermore Amen Meditations for Thursday O Sing unto the Lord a new song for he hath done marvellous things With his own right hand and with his holy arm hath he gotten himself the victory The Lord declared his Salvation his Râ—ghteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the Heathen He hath remembred his Mercy and Truth towards the House of Israel and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God Shew your selves joyful unto the Lord all ye lands sing rejoice and give thanks Praise the Lord upon the harp sing to the harp with a Psalm of Thanksgiving With trumpets also and shawms O shew your selves joyful before the Lord the King Let the Sea make a noise and all that therein is the round world and they that dwell therein Let the floods clap their hands and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord for he is come to judge the earth With righteousness shall he judge the world and the people with equity Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. A Prayer for Thursday Morning A Sacrifice of Praise O Most glorious and powerful Lord God who with thy holy arm hath gotten for me the Victory over Sin Hell and
from us all Ignorance and Negligence and prevent all those things that thou knowest may hinder us in our Christian Calling or Employment Encrease our Faith Patience and Obedience and let thy Blessing be upon this whole Family guide us in thy Truth protect us in our Ways and all those whom thou hast made dear unto us whether they be present or absent IV. Give us Grace by thy Chastisements to fear thee more carefully and to grieve for our sins more heartily let our minds be set upon thee and give us such hearts as we may learn something of every thing and make a Spiritual use of all our Earthly Affairs here till we come to dwell with thee in the Kingdom of Glory V. Bless O Lord the universal Church with Truth Peace and Unity Soundness of Doctrine and holy Discipline Preserve our gracious Sovereign and all the Royal Family Bless his Majesty's most honourable Privy Council and all others in Authority with necessary Graces VI. Bless all Schools of Learning and good Education especially the two Universities of this Land Bless this City and Place wherein we live remove the Punishment due for the Sins thereof and give them a double portion of thy Grace to repent in time before the Destroyer enters again amongst them VII Bless all our Friends Relations or others for whom thou hast appointed us to make Prayers and Supplications strengthen them that lie upon their Beds of Sickness send them the comfort and help of thy Spirit that lie in anguish of Conscience for remorse of Sin and convert all those that go astray from thy Commandments teach us by their Examples to view our own Weakness and to walk more circumspectly for the time to come VIII Bless this Family with Grace and Peace that all of them from the highest to the lowest may know their several Duties and may rightly and duly practise the same in thy fear and unto thy glory through Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour Amen An Evening Prayer for a Private Family OEternal God the Father of Mercies and great Creator of Heaven and Earth we render thee humble and hearty Thanks for thy merciful Preservation of us this Day and all the whole course of our Lives that thou hast brought us safe through so many Dangers and Difficulties we might justly have fallen into had not thy Arm of Providence been stretched out to support us II. Morning and Evening thou takest care of us and heapest upon us so many Blessings and Benefits both Spiritual and Temporal yet we neither fear thee nor serve thee as we ought to do but thou art a God slow to anger and of great pity and art ready to forgive our manifold Sins which we from time to time have committed against thee III. Good Lord we beseech thee keep us evermore from day to day as thou hast done and make us constant in the profession of thy holy Name and the practise of thy Law that neither the Malice of Man nor Subtilty of Satan be able to make us turn away from thee Lord turn thy Face from our Sins even from those Sins wherein we have so much delighted take from us those hearts of Stone and give us hearts of Flesh and wash and cleanse our poluted Souls in the Blood of the Lord Jesus IV. Forgive us all that is past and grant us the assurance of that Forgiveness sealed up by the holy Spirit in our Consciences Oh kindle thy love more and more in our hearts that we may never depart from thee but attain unto a due thankfulness for thy benefits and a most unfeigned and earnest Repentance for all our Sins and Tranfgressions V. Suffer us not to close our Eyes till our Souls have reckoned and made even for all the Offences which not only this day but all the former minutes of our lives we have committed against thy divine Majesty Give thine Angels charge over us that at what hour soever thou callest us out of this Vale of Tears where we do but travail and toil all the day long we may not be found to be idle Loiterers in thy Harvest but good and acceptable Servants having Oil in our Lamps and on us the Robe of Righteousness and Wedding-Garment of Regeneration that we may be able to encounter Death the King of Terrors to meet our blessed Lord in the Clouds when he cometh to Judgment and to follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth VI. Expel and remove far away from us all wicked Spirits and graciously protect us from our Persecutors which lay Snares to subdue us do thou O God assist us that we may peaceably sleep and rest in thee hide us in thy Tabernacle from the strife of all Men and keep us that we may fear no Evil. O thou that neither slumberest nor sleepest let thy Rod and Staff evermore comfort and defend us VII Let thy mighty Hand and stretched out Arm O Lord be still our Defence thy Mercy and Loving-kindness in thy beloved Son our Salvation thy true and holy Word our Instruction thy Grace and holy Spirit our Comfort and Consolation Let thy Mercy O God prevent and follow us all the days of our Lives that we may dwell in thy House of Defence in length of days praising thee evermore VIII Let thy Blessing be upon all of us within this Houshold guide us in our Ways and lead us into thy Truth Bless our Parents Kindred and Friends wheresoever dispersed and howsoever linked unto us Be a merciful Judge unto us and continually protect us from the snares of Satan the Old Serpent and finally conduct us into the society of Angels and of all Saints in thy holy Paradise to whom be ascribed as is most due to thee the Father Son and Holy Ghost one true gracious and everlasting God all Honour Power and Glory Might Majesty and Dominion now and for evermore Amen Meditations for the Sick O Lord rebuke me not in thine Indignation neither chasten me in thy heavy 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 troubled But Lord how long wilt thou punish me Turn thee O Lord and deliver my Soul O save me for thy mercies sake For in death no Man remembreth thee and who will give thee thanks in the Pit I am weary of my groaning every night wash I my Bed and water my Couch with my Tears My Beauty is gone for very trouble and worn away because of all mine Enemies Away from me all ye that work Vanity for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping The Lord hath heard my Petition the Lord will receive my Prayer Hearken unto my voice O Lord when I cry unto thee have mercy upon me and hear me O hide not thou thy face from me nor cast thy Servant away in Displeasure Thou hast been my succour leave me not neither forsake me O God of my Salvation What profit is there in my blood