Domestick Devotions FOR THE VSE OF FAMILIES AND OF PARTICULAR PERSONS Whereunto are prefixed Some earnest PERSWASIVES to Prayer and Devotion 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands Tertul. De Jejun Semper ubique omni tempore Orandum Cypr. ad Donat. Sit tibi vel Oratio assidua vel Lectio Nunc tu cum Deo loquere nunc Deus tecum London Printed by J. Playford for William Shrowsbery at the Bible in Duke-Lane 1683. THE PREFACE THAT there is a supreme invisible Being the Creator and Governour of the World is a grand Truth to which we yield our common assent from the evidence of natural reason as well as the revelation of holy Scripture None but a fool will call it into question in his thoughts and he must be an impudent profligate wretch that dares deny it with Psal 14. ◠his lips Now when we say there is a God we do with the same breath acknowledge he is to be honour'd and worshipp'd by us for the very notion of a Deity doth imply an undeniable title to our greatest service His nature is transcendently excellent and glorious and therefore the highest acts of veneration are due to him this reason of divine Worship is urg'd by the Psalmist who thus bespeaking the Angels as the Text is understood by St. Paul Worship him all ye Gods subjoyns immediately after For thou Lord art high above all the earth thou art exalted far above all Gods Psal 79. 7. And Heb. 1. 6. the same is assign'd by a great Divine in Gentile Theology The nature of God saith he may justly challenge the worship of men because of his superlative Excellence Blessedness Eternity for whatever excells hath on that account a veneration due to it And Epicurus himself though he disclaim'd all others yet admitted Cic. lib. 1. De Nat. Deor. The singular excellence of the divine Nature for a solid ground of religious worship Sen. de Benef lib. 4. cap. 19. Moreover as God is founder of the World and more especially as Author of our own being he doth justly challenge our humblest adoration this is likewise given in Scripture as a ground of religious service as Psal 100. 2 3. Where the Inhabitants of the earth are call'd upon to serve God with gladness and come before his presence with Songs of Praise on this consideration that The Lord he is God it is he that hath made us and not we our selves And this glorious Fabrick of the World is also propos'd by Tully as an argument for Divine Worship in these words That there is an excellent and eternal Being and such 〈…〉 and the order of heavenly 〈◊〉 do compel us to acknowledge Lib. 2. de Nat. Deor. Again it is most just and congruous that God should be ador'd by us as he is the Soveraign Lord and Supreme Governour over us and the whole Vniverse by whose providence we are sustain'd and both our persons and all that we have or can desire at his free dispose there is a great honour belongs to earthly Rulers because of that high Station and Dignity wherein they are plac'd but to him by whom these do reign as his substitutes who is the blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and Lords of Lords the greatest honour must needs be due and the highest veneration possible as is that of religious Worship and this reason of adoration is also alledged by the Psalmist for having said The Lord he is a great God and a great King above all Gods he thence takes occasion of stirring up himself and others to Come and Worship to fall Psal 95. 3. down and kneel before him and it is urg'd by God himself when reproving his people for their neglects in his Worship For I am a great King saith the Lord of Mal. 1. 14. Hosts To this belongs that of the Moralist when he saith 'T is the first honour of God to believe that he is and the next to ascribe to him his Majesty to ascribe his Goodness without which there can be no Majesty at all to be sensible that he doth preside over the Sen. Epist. 95. World that he governs all things by his power that he hath the care of Mankind But we need not stay long in representing the reasonableness of that about which mankind have been alwayes satisfy'd and as it were determin'd to it by mere instinct it being a plain dictate of the Law of nature that God is to be worshipp'd and usually reckon'd among those first Principles which neither require proof nor admit any doubt and therefore Aristotle though an heathen hath excepted it out of the number of disputable Problems adding that whoever should call the same into question was 〈◊〉 lib. 57 cap. 11. not to be dealt with by Arguments but Punishments So intimate is Religion to the Soul of Man that some of the Learned have thought it to be of his very Essence and that 't is the primary difference rather than reason by which we are distinguish'd from Brutes for there seem to be some imperfect discoveries of reason in the actings of other living Creatures insomuch as that several Philosophers both Antient and Modern have not doubted to affirm that they are in a lower degree truly rational But Amongst all kinds of living Lib. 1. de Leg. Creatures saith Tully that are in the World there is none but Man that hath any Notion of a Deity In this surely we may be positive that Religion if not our Essence yet is a property issuing from it by a kind of necessary emanation whence it hath come to pass that scarce any thing can be nam'd in which Mankind have in all times and places been so unanimous as the Belief and Worship of a God And the barbarous people which being dark in ignorance could not discern the true God yet rather than want an Object of their worship 〈…〉 that did them good and 〈◊〉 down to the Host of Heaven to Men like themselves yea to Birds four-footed Rom. 1. 23. Beasts and creeping things But to us Christians the day-spring from on high hath risen and we are happily guided to the right and sole object of religious Service by the holy Scriptures Whereunto St. Peter wills 2 Pet. 1. 19. us to take heed as to a light shining in a dark place and as this Written Revelation doth bring to our notice the eternal and only true God whom we are to worship so it doth render us on many accounts the more oblig'd to do it For the Word of God doth discover to us the infinite and adorable perfections of his Divine Nature as also our own dependance on him both in respect of his Creation and Providence it doth contain his express Commands that we should serve him together with prescriptions as to the manner of performance and moreover we have there many and great encouragements to the Duty
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.
Meditations and Desires may be heavenly and that I may serve thee in holy Sunday Morning Duties with sincere Devotion grant that by a pious Celebration of this religious Rest on Earth I may be the better prepar'd for keeping an eternal Sabbath in thine heavenly Kingdom These things I humbly beg in the name of thy beloved Son my blessed Saviour concluding as he hath taught me Our Father c. Thy grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O heavenly Father thy Fellowship and Communion O holy and blessed Spirit be with me this day and for evermore Amen PRAYERS FOR Particular Persons IN THE EVENING A Prayer before Reading the Scripture O Lord my God blessed be Evening thy Name for this great priviledge of waiting upon thee and that thou hast given me a willing heart to make use of the same 't is of thy Mercy that I am alive this Evening and not numbred among those many who have the day past perished from the Land of the Living I do acknowledge thy long-suffering and goodness and I will not give sleep to mine Eys nor slumber to mine Eyelids till I have render'd unto thee my bounden Duty of Worship and Praise be thou pleas'd to assist and accept my present Devotions teach me by thy holy Word to live according to thy Will and lead me by it in the way to everlasting Life through Jesus Christ my blessed Redeemer Amen A Prayer for the Evening LOrd I cry unto thee make hast unto me give ear unto my Voyce when I cry unto thee Let my Prayer be set before thee as incense and the lifting up of my hands as the Evening Sacrifice O Eternal God thy property it is that thou hearest Prayer and though thou art the high and lofty One yet art thou nigh unto all that call upon thee be thou pleas'd to bow down thine ear at this time to the Supplications of me thine unworthy Servant and let me find Grace and acceptance with thee while I Worship at thy Footstool I do here offer up my self a living Sacrifice and do humbly adore thy divine Majesty as the great Creatour and Governour of the whole World as the Authour of all that I am and of all that I do enjoy unto thee O Lord belong Honour and Service and Praise but unto me nothing but shame and punishment for I have offended the pure Eyes of thy holiness from day to day by repeated transgressions and as thou hast not ceased to do me good so have I been constant in the unhappy returns of unthankfulness and disobedience I have neither lov'd nor fear'd nor serv'd thee as I ought to have done and my sins are more then I am able to number I do therefore humble my self before thee with hearty repentance imploring thy gracious pardon through the Son of thy Love whom thou hast set forth to be a Propitiation for sin Be thou reconcil'd unto me for his sake and make me partaker of all those benefits which are the purchase of his redemption Impute not unto me the iniquities of the day past but forgive whatever I have therein thought or said or done amiss either against God or against man O Lord grant me thy favour speak peace to my Conscience and that I may no more return to folly be thou pleas'd to work in me both to will and to do the things by thee requir'd give me an hatred of sin and a love of holiness that I may abhor what is evil and cleave to that which is good incline mine heart unto thy Statutes and let not any iniquity have dominion over me O thou who knowest my sinful frailty and to how many Temptations my life is expos'd assist me by thine own Grace and strengthen me with all might in the inward man help me to crucisie the Flesh with the affections and lusts thereof to reject all the allurements of Sin and so to resist the Devil that he may flee from me Whatever temporal blessings I receive at thine hands grant me to use them aright with all thankfulness and sobriety and also to undergo with Christian patience any chastisement or affliction thou shalt please to lay upon me let every dispensation of thy Providence be sanctify'd to my spiritual good that nothing may ever separate me from thy love and favour for as much as this World passeth away and all the enjoyments of it are of short continuance suffer me not to set my heart or affections on any thing here below but raise them up to the things above to that glorious inheritance reserv'd in heaven which fadeth not away and since my days come to an end and I am still hastening on toward my great change help me to be alwaies preparing for it by doing good and working out my Salvation with fear and trembling that so death may not be terrible but a welcom passage to a life of glory Bless the Land of my Nativity grant us peace and plenty and let the truth and purity of Religion still continue and prevail among us Be thou a Friend and Patron to all my Friends and near Relations make them holy and prosperous in this World and for ever happy in the next Send thy consolation and succour to all who are in sorrow want sickness or any other affliction but especially to such as do suffer for the sake of righteousness and a good conscience Accept I pray thee my humble thanks for all thy Mercies for thy holy Scriptures and the means of Grace for all the good things pertaining to this life I bless thee for thy great kindness toward me the day past that I have escaped dangers that my life is continued to me together with thy wonted benefits both for the necessities and comfort of my present condition And since thou who hast made the Day for action and business hast also ordain'd the Night for a time of rest and repose be thou pleas'd to watch over me in lying down and to grant me the comfortable refreshment of a quiet sleep O Lord let thy Grace and Goodness never forsake me till I shall enter into thine everlasting rest in the highest Heavens through thy rich Mercy in Jesus Christ To whom with thy self and the holy Ghost be ascrib'd all Honour and Glory Worship and Praise World without End Amen Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O heavenly Father thy comfortable Communion O holy Spirit of Grace be with me and thy whole Church henceforth and for ever Another Prayer for the Evening THe Lord will command his loving-kindness in the day time and in the night his Song shall be with me and my prayer unto the God of my life I will both lay me down in peace and sleep for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety MOst gracious God the Maker of all things and the Giver of every good and perfect Gift thou deservest to be worshipp'd and serv'd to receive Thanksgiving and Praise from thee I have derived my life
especially that of an eternal and glorious 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 life 〈…〉 Childhood know 〈…〉 Scriptures shall however neglect the worship of God it will be an impiety void of all excuse and for such it will be more intollerable at the last day than for rude Scythians and Americans It might in reason indeed be thought unnecessary that Persons bred up in the Church of Christ especially in such a part of it as ours where the Bible is vulgarly known and practical Religion so clearly taught should be call'd upon to pay their tribute of service to the Almighty But however we may unhappily observe how innate depravity and the immorality of mens lives do alienate them from God and his Worship there are too many every where who live by Sense more than by Faith or Reason And because God is not present to their outward sight as were the Idols of the Heathen he is also absent from their thoughts and they are not apprehensive 't is of any great concern to them that they attend upon him in the Duties of his Service But the more easie and common impiety in this kind is the neglect of those Devotions which should be in private Families and in the retirements of particular persons apart For securing the publick Worship of God the National Government hath been very Zealous there being penal Laws for bringing men to it and they find themselves oblig'd to frequent the Ordinances of our Religion not only by the fear of God but also by that of the Magistrate who beareth not the sword in vain And for the solemn service of God in Parochial Assemblies 't is abundantly provided in our Liturgy wherein are pious forms for all publick occasions compos'd at first by the renown'd Reformers of this Church and Kingdom Men who hazarded their lives and some of them lost them too for the Name of the Lord Jesus and in defence of his Truth and Gospel To these great Worthies the Souls of this Nation are more endebted under God than words can express and their Memories as well as their Reformation should be for ever precious to us But though the publick exercise of Religion be so well cared for yet there are not the like furtherances of private Devotion by the commands of God indeed and by all the reasons of Divine Worship Domestick Piety is no less requir'd than that of the Temple But yet it is not inforc'd by any humane Laws nor hath the Church thought fit to recommend any Forms of Devotion either for Closet or Family that the Prayers in our Liturgy are not prescribed with respect to private Houses so as to be obliging there is declar'd by Dr. Hammond and he doth not only approve of other Forms to be us'd in Families but also that it may be in Visitation of the sick though there be an Office in the book of Common Prayer for that occasion And it hath been thought by some having as high an esteem for the Liturgy as others that considering the general temper of men it would much abate their veneration of the publick service and make them more slack and regardless in their attendance at the Church if the Devotions there were no other than what they have every day in their own Houses But whether so 〈…〉 no doubt that 〈…〉 which injoyn religious Duties together with the Sanction of Penalties annex'd to them do only respect the publick places of Worship So that elsewhere men are left to the alone obligations of Religion and their own Conscience And 't is the less to be wonder'd that this so considerable a part of Christian Piety is no more practic'd The neglects of holy Duties in Families may be too well known and those others more private may be also presum'd without any breach of charity But 't is much to be lamented that any instructed in the Discipline of the Gospel should think it enough to Worship the glorious God their Creator one day in the Week and content themselves with so much only of Religion as the Laws of their Country do force from them Now if we enquire how this may come to pass beside the sinful corruption of men and their aversation thereupon from the exercises of Piety it may be thought generally to proceed either from this that they do not sufficiently know or at least are so stupid as not to consider their Obligation in Conscience to the Duties they thus omit and how much their own interest is concern'd in the due performance of them or else in some it may doubtless be from a want of assistance to their Devotion while destitute of suitable compos'd Prayers in which they should address themselves to God Both which probable causes of so great irreligion the Author was willing to remove The former of them by his following Perswasives and the atter by some composures for Domestick Devotion thereunto subjoin'd In the Perswasives he hath not undertaken any exact discourse concerning Devotion as to the nature of it it 's several parts and the manner of due performance much less to entertain the Reader with an elaborate flourish of words but his design is only to inforce the Practise of this great Duty by a Summary of Arguments which seem'd most material and to do it with such plainess as might render them more apt to convince and affect those of meanest capacity And the Prayers here offer'd by him to the use of well dispos'd Christians are but a few being only for ordinary occasions excepting those in case of Sickness In all of them he he hath chosen still to take in what he thought pertinent and necessary rather than boast his own invention in an affected variety Hoping his good intention herein will attone for any lesser failings that may occur to the Critical he doth send them abroad with this one short Prayer more that by the Divine blessing they may prove really useful to the furtherance and help of Christian Devotion and for promoting the service and honour of the Great God of whom and to whom are all things Amen ERRATA PAge 7. l. 16. read Subsisteret P. 11. Marg. r. Just Mart. P. 34. l. 27. put VI. for 6. P. 40. l. 9. r. by God P. 43. l. 25. r. effected P. 47. l. 3. r. doth P. 73. l. 26. r. there the. P. 85. l. 16. r. much the. P. 88. marg r Ascet P. 93. l. 7. r. do thou P. 94. l. 24. r. and hasty P. 104. l. 17. dele thy P. 107. l. 15. r. thee my P. 108. l. 6. r. imploying P. 133 l. 14. r. attone P. 139. l. 12. dele happy P. 136. l. 6. r. pity P. 198. l. 3. r. or any l. 23. r. adapt P. 169. l. 9. dele all l. 25 r. intention P. 205. l. 28 29. r. supposed P. 206. l. 26. dele not P. 208. l. 7. r. corners P. 229. l. 28. r hath P. 251. l. 10. r. in my A PERSUASIVE TO PRAYER A PERSUASIVE TO PRAYER PRayer is a Duty of
Religious Worship wherein we own God for the Supreme Being and Lord of the World and yield him Honour and Adoration as such wherein we acknowledge our dependance on him we submit our selves to him imploring his gracious favour and the communications of his goodness This doth belong to Natural Religion being taught us by our inbred Reason and is a necessary consequent from the belief of a God Whence the practice of it hath been universal and the most degenerate of Mankind have us'd to invoke some Deity or other We read how the Priests of Baal did call upon him from morning to evening a 1 Kings 18. 29. and the Mariners in Jonah's Tempest cried every one unto his God b Jon. 1. 5. We may also observe from our Saviour that the Heathen had their Prayers in which they used vain Repetitions and did think to be heard for their much speaking c Mat. 6. 7. It doth appear from their own Writers how zealous they were in their Idolatrous Devotions that they had every where their Temples Priests and stated times of Worship And 't was a received custom among them in every business of moment they were to undertake Initium à precationibus capere d Plin. Paneg Traj to begin with Prayer In the Church of God Prayer hath been always esteem'd the principal part of Religion We read in the Old Testament how it was in constant use with those who profess'd the true God In his Temple at Jerusalem were offer'd up daily Sacrifices e Exod. 29. 38 39. which were still accompany'd with Prayer f Ecclus. 50. 15 16 20 21. by which they were recommended to the Divine Acceptance and the Worship render'd compleat And they had there a Liturgick Service consisting of Prayers and Praises Of such the devout Psalms of David are made up and 't is with reason believ'd that some of these were a considerable part of that Service which is probable from the Titles of them as of Psal 88. and 92. and those others which are inscribed to the Praecentor or Chief Musician It is mention'd when one Psalm of this sweet singer of Israel was first deliver'd by him for public use g 1 Chror 16. 7. and we read that in the time of Hezekiah the Priests and Levites did praise the Lord in the words of David h 2 Chron. 29. 30. Beside the more solemn Service of the Temple the Jews did likewise every day celebrate their Devotions in the Synagogues which were throughout the Country And for daily use they were furnish'd with certain set Prayers eighteen in number compendiously made that they might be the more easily remember'd i D. Lightf Hor. Heb. in Mat. cap. 6. And 't is affirm'd by Grotius Lightfoot and other Learned Men that the Petitions of the Lord's Prayer are for substance the same with these of the Jews and abstracted from them So careful were their Rabbi's or Doctors to promote Devotion in their Scholars that beside the ordinary Prayers they were wont to recommend to them some others of their own composingi. And thus did John the Baptist of whom we find in the Gospel that he taught his Disciples to pray k Luke 11. 1. The usual times of Prayer observ'd by the Jews were no less than three every day the third the sixth and the ninth hour And it hath been a Tradition among them that the third was instituted by Abraham the sixth by Isaac and the ninth by Jacob l Drus in cap. 3. Act. Apost To these hours we must refer the Devotions of David and Daniel when we read they were performed by them three times a day m Psal 53. 10. Dan. 6. 10. It was from a regard to Prayer especially that their Phylacteries were so much valued by them and therefore named Tephillim or Precatoria being scrolls of Parchment whereon were written some parts of the Pentateuch fasten'd on their foreheads and the wrists of their hands and by these they intended to be put in mind of their duty to God Also by having them on at the time of praying they thought they did serve him in a manner the more holy and acceptable From their high opinion of Prayer and its great importance proceeded that proverbial saying among them Sine stationibus non subsistere Mundus without standing Prayers the World would not stand For by Statio or rather the Hebrew word answering to it they used to fignifie Prayer it being one of the seven names by which they call it from the posture in which it was by them performed for the Jews unless at the times of mourning or extraordinary humiliation did commonly pray standing as several places of Scripture do plainly shew n Neh. 9. 5. Mat. 6. 5. Mark 11. 25. Luke 18. 11. and therefore that Text Gen. 18. 22. which by us like as in other versions is render'd Abraham stood before the Lord is in the Chaldee Paraphrase Abraham prayed before the Lord and from the Jews the same might descend to the Christians For that they did anciently pray standing doth appear out of Justine Martyr St. Cyprian and others The former-nam'd relating the manner of their pious Exercise on the Lord's day saith After these things we stand up all together and pour out our Prayers And in the latter it is Quando stamus ad orationem c. When we stand at Prayer most dear Brethren we ought to be watchful and to attend our Prayers with our whole heart o Just Mar. Apol. 2. Cypr. de Orat. dom Though it must be said there is this other account too why Christians used that posture namely that they intended it as symbolical of our Saviour's Resurrection and a visible token of their stedstast belief of it which they knew to be the supporting Article of their Religion It is therefore called by St. Austin Signum resurrectionis p Aug. Ep. 119. c. 15. and that it was so may be collected from the special times in which this Ceremony was observed which were every Lord's day being the day of the week on which Christ rose from the Dead and from Easter the solemn Festival of the Resurrection on every day 'till Whitsontide q Tertul. lib. de cor mil. cap. 3. August Ep. 119. c. 17. We do account it wickedness saith Tertullian to fast on the Lord's day or to pray kneeling And we enjoy the same freedom from Easter-day 'till Pentecost That standing at Prayer should be generally observed at the times now mention'd the Fathers of the great Nicene Council thought fit to enjoyn in their 20th Canon This minds us to add farther how the Duty we are upon hath been more eminently exemplified since the times of the Gospel in the practice of Christ himself of his Apostles and of those who profess'd the Religion by them taught in the first Ages of Christianity That our Saviour pray'd often and sometimes very long we are inform'd by the Evangelists and
and have our being The morning is a fit time wherein to worship and praise God by whom we have been preserv'd and refreshed the night foregoing as also for desiring the guidance and protection of his Grace and Providence and his Blessings both on our selves and our undertakings the day following St. Cyprian doth exhort Christians to pray in the morning that the resurrection of Christ which was at that time may be then celebrated by them l Cypr. de erat Dom. The evening is a time no less convenient wherein to return our Adoration and Thanksgiving for the mercies of the day past to humble our selves for the Sins therein committed as likewise wherein to beg a comfortable sleep and security from all the perils of darkness in the night ensuing And the same holy Martyr doth recommend evening Prayer that so the Sun and Light of this World being withdrawn from us we may then desire the Spiritual Light and the coming of Christ whom he calls the true Sun m Ibid. We may also add that at these periods of our time we are most at liberty from worldly business and therefore the better dispos'd for Religious Duty For in the morning we are not as yet engag'd in the employments of the day and when even is come they are commonly over and laid aside So that our Devotion as thus timed is like to be performed in a manner more pleasing to God and without hindrance to us in respect of ordinary affairs And that we may be persuaded to the daily practice of this so great and necessary Duty we now proceed to alledge some Arguments which if duly considered will not fail of success I. We are oblig'd to it by God's command who hath always required that men should in this way of humble address honour him and seek his goodness It was impos'd on the Jews when they were bid To worship the Lord n Deut. 26. 10. and to serve him o Deut. 6. 13. 10. 20. and that Prayer was hereby enjoyn'd we have the authority of a great Jewish Doctor It is an affirmative Precept saith Maimonides that men pray to God every day for it is said Ye shall serve the Lord your God p Apud Lud. Cappel in c. 3. Act. Apost Likewise God calls for the same from all people Look unto me and be ye saved all ye ends of the earth Isa 45. 22. And the punishment of their neglect herein is expressed by Jeremiah Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not upon thy name Jer. 10. 25. But in the Gospel Prayer is more often and earnestly commanded Our Saviour enjoyn'd his Disciples to watch and pray q Mar. 13. 33. to watch and pray always r Luke 21. 36. He teacheth them that men ought always to pray and not to faint Å¿ Luke 18. 1. And for our direction and assistance in it he hath pleas'd to prescribe us a form compos'd by himself In the Apostolical Writings the same duty is very much urg'd We are exhorted to betake our selves to God in Prayer on all occasions In every thing by prayer and supplication let your Requests bee made known unto God Phil. 4. 6. To call upon him in every place wherever we happen to be I will therefore that men pray every where 1. Tim. 2. 8. To be constant and unwearied in the same for we must continue in Prayer t Col. 4. 2. and pray without ceasing u 1 Thes 5. 17. We must pray always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit and watch thereunto with all perseverance w Eph. 6. 18. Now Almighty God having thus clearly and so often declared his Royal will and command there is no room for debate whether we are to conform to it or no His just authority over us is so great that we cannot but own our selves oblig'd to obey in cases most difficult and troublesom And how then can we be excus'd should we refuse to do it where the duty requir'd is both easie in it self and also that on which our own interest doth very much depend For II. 'T is no small enforcement of this Divine Command that Prayer is also declared in Scripture as a condition on our part by which we become capable of receiving those good things whereof we stand in need Though God be infinitely good in himself and delights in being so to others yet we cannot think he will force his Blessings on such as care not to beg them at his hands No we often read it is quite otherwise for when God giveth good things 't is to them that ask him x Mat. 7. 11. To such only our Saviour hath given assurance that they shall receive y Luke 11. 10. John 16. 24. And he himself would not engage to effect any kindness for his Disciples by his own intercession unless they should also petition for it If saith he ye shall ask any thing in my name I will do it z John 14. 14. When God is said to be nigh unto his people 't is but In all things that they call upon him for a Deut. 4. 7. and if they seek him then he will be found b 2 Chron. 15. 2. Nor shall they find him neither unless they seek him with all their heart c Deut. 4. 29. Jer. 29. 13. If he promise to deliver in the time of trouble he requires to be first call'd upon d Psal 50. 15. If he deliver the Righteous 't is after they cry unto him e Psal 34. 17. That God doth suspend his giving forth his mercies to men on their Prayers for them is clearly express'd in that of St. James where he assigns their not praying for a cause or reason of their not receiving Ye have not because ye ask not f Jam. 4. 2. And this holy Duty is so indispensable in order to our obtaining the favours of Heaven that though God pass his word and make an express promise of bestowing any particular Mercies yet there is no actual performance until he be sought unto for the same Of this we find an instance in the Prophet by whom God had in absolute terms declared of many and good things he purposed to do for his people Israel and had confirm'd their belief thereof with this I the Lord have spoken it I will do it However after all it is subjoyn'd I will yet for this be enquir'd of by the house of Israel g Ezech. 36. 37. So that plainly Prayer is still one condition on which the promises of God are made and his beneficence to be expected by us If we fail in it there is little reason to hope he will bestow his benefits or send us any relief in our time of need III. The duty doth appear highly reasonable and expedient from the consideration of God who is the object of our Prayer as that he is infinitely
St. Pauls account to be they who call upon the name of Christ and to be Christians are one and the same o 1 Cor. 1. 2. There being so much of piety and holiness in this one duty therefore 't is that God is so pleas'd with it for the Prayer of the righteous is his delight p Prov. 15. 8. And we may observe that when he had erected a Temple for his honour among the Jews though Sacrifices and other religious Offices were perform'd in it yet he was pleased to give it a name with respect to Prayer as the most eminent part of his service My house shall be called an house of Prayer for all people q Isa 56. 7. 3. Prayer is an excellent remedy to which we may have recourse in all the ills of our life and 't is a means proper and suitable whatever our condition or distress may be when encompass'd with dangers or overwhelm'd with grief persecuted by men or tempted by Satan When under disappointment losses or want When distemper'd in body or diseased in mind I say in these and other like cases we may by Prayer betake our selves to God who hath a Salve for every Sore who doth know how to deliver and is able to do it When the righteous do Cry unto him he heareth them and delivereth them out of all their troubles r Psal 34. 17. He will be a refuge for the oppressed a refuge in times of trouble and they who know his name will trust in him Å¿ Psal 9. 9 10. The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe t Prov. 18. 10. And therefore we are directed in Scripture to the use of Prayer when we are in any distress Call upon me in the day of trouble Psal 50. 15. Is any man among you afflicted Let him pray Jam. 5. 13. And it is prescrib'd in the Verse following as the best receipt for a sick man that the Elders of the City be sent for to pray over him 4. This exercise of Devotion is exceeding pleasant and delightsom It was so to David and therefore he said O how amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of hosts My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord u Psal 84. 1 2. And 't is the welcom which God doth promise to them who shall come to his worship that he will make them joyfull in his house of prayer w Isa 56. 7. It must be confess'd that this holy duty is not so pleasing to all persons there being some to whom the service of God is an irksom drudgery and they quickly say What a weariness is it x M. l. 1. 13. But the minds of such men are earthly and sensual whence it is they savour nothing that is spiritual and while they continue no better dispos'd the entertainments of Heaven it self would not relish to them To other whose souls are purified and by the practices of Religion wrought into an heavenly and devout temper the Worship of God is not a burden but pleasure and they can experimentally say with the Psalmist One day in thy Courts is better than a thousand for it must needs delight any man of a right understanding to wait on the great Lord and Governour of the World to be imployed in the service of his Creator which is the very end of his being the chief business of his life and that which will be sure to turn to a good account it cannot chuse but be a great comfort and satisfaction to disburden our breasts and make our wants known to one who is so well able to relieve and it may well afford delight and contentment to be exercised in adoring and praising God since 't is the work and happiness of the blessed Angels and Saints above 5. The Duty of Prayer is greatly beneficial and if perform'd aright is a plentiful reward to it self for our God is not like the Idols of the Heathen which have ears and hear not z Psal 115. 6. But 't is his property that he heareth Prayer a Psa 65. 2. and when he heareth he sheweth mercy and giveth forth his benefits By the constant exercise of Devotion men hold an intercourse and holy commerce with Heaven and may thence enrich themselves with returns of blessings for all their needs they do engage him for their friend Who is the giver of every good and perfect gift b Jam 1. 1. 17. By this Key of Prayer they open to themselves the rich treasury of his goodness for it's prevalence with Almighty God is exceeding great we are assur'd by the Apostle that the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much c Jam. 5. 16. There is an authority attributed to it by which it sways with God so in these words by the Prophet Ask me of things to come and concerning the works of mine hands command you me Isa 45. 11. and it is elsewhere intimated as if it did lay a kind of force on Heaven and over-power the hands of Omnipotence as when God speaketh thus to Moses Let me alone that mine anger may wax hot against them that I may consume them d Exod. 32. 10. and though God were so incens'd and dispos'd to take vengeance yet on the earnest intercession of that good man the people were spared These expressions must be understood indeed after the manner of men but however they do really import the great interest and efficacy of Prayer Which how it comes to be a duty of so great success and advantage as it is we may better understand when 6. We shall consider the particular encouragements we have for addressing ourselves to God in this holy duty as 1. That he is so able to help us in all things that we call upon him for being the Lord Almighty who doth whatsoever he pleaseth in the heaven above in the earth and waters beneath e Psal 135. 6. To whom all things are possible f Mat. 19. 26. And he can do for us exceeding abundantly above what we can ask or think g Eph. 3. 20. Wherefore he is a sure refuge and let our case seem never so difficult or desperate we may animate our devotion with that of the Angel to Sarah Is there any thing too hard for the Lord h Gen. 18. 34. and from hence we may also learn how much safer it is to seek unto God and relie on him then to place our confidence in any worldly succours which by daily experience are found insufficient and do especially fail us in our greatest concerns and when we most stand in need 2. The God to whom we pray hath a Goodness equal to his Power and is kindly dispos'd to shew mercy and do good the Scripture assures us that he is gracious and full of Compassion i Psal 111. â— 4. He is good ready to forgive plenteous in mercy unto all them that
16. And he is the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba father g Gal. 4. 16. Whence we are embolden'd to beg the blessing of God with the freedom of Children and may promise our selves to be kindly received when we address to him 6. Lastly whereas by reason of sin neither our Persons nor our Prayers could be acceptable to God nor could we hope to prevail with him on our own account this obstacle and discouragement is also happily remov'd for we have a Mediatour between God and us the man Christ Jesus * 1 Tim. 2. 5. who being the Son of God and of greatest Interest with him hath so effectually interpos'd as to obtain audience for us and that our Petitions shall not be in vain by his attonement and satisfaction he hath expiated our sins appeased the Wrath of God and reconcil'd us to him so that we may now approach by that new and living way which Christ hath consecrated for us h Heb. 10. 20. In whom also we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him i Eph. 3. 12. And though our devotions be accompanied with sinful infirmities and we have reason to pray that our very prayers may be forgiven us yet while coming with faith and sincerity we may assure our selves that our service shall not be rejected for as did Aaron the high Priest for the Jews so much more Christ of whom he was a type doth for us Christians bear the iniquity of our holy things k Exod. 28. 38. and the defects of our oblations are done away by means of his perfect sacrifice who offered himself a Lamb without spot or blemish l 1 Pet. 1. 19. It is therefore said that we being an holy Priesthood do offer to God what is acceptable to him by Jesus Christ m 1 Pet. 2. 5. Likewise we are allowed to use our Saviour's name and to plead his merits when we present our requests And he hath undertaken it shall well succeed Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name I will do it n Joh. 14. 13 14. and again hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full o Joh. 16. 24. for our prayers have this further advantage by the mediation of Christ that he doth himself recommend them in Heaven by his intercession having enter'd into the Holy of Holies that he might there carry on his Work of Mediatour and save to the utmost all that come to the Father through him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them p Heb. 7. 25. he is the great Master of Requests in the Court of Heaven nor is there any other beside him our Advocate with the Father q 1 Joh. 2. 1. and because he is Jesus Christ the righteous as it follows in that Text he doth therefore sollicite for us with good success while pleading the merits of his own righteousness in our behalf and by this he doth cause our prayers to be well received For he is that Angel of the Covenant represented to St. John who having a golden Censer doth offer up in it the prayers of the Saints together with his own incense r Rev. 8. 3. that they may become a sweet smelling savour Wherefore though unworthy and obnoxious in our selves yet if interested in Christ we may draw nigh to God with full assurance of faith ſ Heb. 10. 22. and having so compassionate an high Priest in Heaven who doth intercede for us let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and find grace to help in time of need t Heb. 14. 15 16. The duty to which we are excited is with respect to God highly just and reasonable as to us most becoming and beneficial and in it self little burdensome or difficult the devotion requir'd from us Christians being free from the great trouble and cost of the Jewish worship we are excus'd from their Oblations Sacrifices and other numerous Rites nor are we oblig'd to tedious journeys as they who were bound at set times to wait on God from all parts of the Country in his Temple at Jerusalem u Exod. 23. 17. Deut. 16. 16. 2 Chron. 8. 13. The service expected from us is that we present our selves a living sacrifice w Rom. 12. 1. and offer up to him devout Prayers and Thanksgivings which are our spiritual sacrifice x 1 Pet. 2. 5. and holy incense y Rev. 8. 3. prayers and giving of thanks saith Justin Martyr I do affirm to be the only sacrifices that are perfect and acceptable to God z Dial. cum Tryph. and to these it doth refer when 't is said in Malachy that the Name of the Lord should be great among the Gentiles and they should offer incense to him and a pure offering a Mal. 1. 11. by which is meant the sincere prayer of pious Christians Sacrificium mundum scilicet simplex oratio de conscientiâ purâ so Tertullian understands that place b Adv. Marc. l. 4. cap. 1. and more fully elsewhere Nomini meo offertur sacrificium mundum gloriae scilicet relatio benedictio laus hymni c Ibid. l. 3. cap. 21. by our declaring the Glory of God by our thanksgiving our praise and singing of Psalms we offer up that pure offering which was foretold and to the same purpose another ancient Father when describing the piety of a Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayers and praises are his sacrifices d Clem. Alex Strom. 7. And these oblations of the Gospel beside that they are without charge and expence have this other ease too that they may be presented in any place whatever In every place saith that Text of the Prophet e Mal. 1. 11. and we are to pray every where lifting up holy hands without doubting of acceptance as 't is prescrib'd by the Apostle f 1 Tim. 2. 8. for to us now since Christ by his coming hath made the whole earth alike holy every place is an Oratory g August de Temp. Serm. 129. Since therefore prayer doth on so many accounts recommend it self to us and God who can be no gainer by it is yet pleas'd to be so urgent with us both by invitations and commands that we seek unto him since he hath given us such great encouragements to it and we may obtain his favour and blessing at so cheap a rate as the bare asking if we have any understanding or sense of things his great goodness herein cannot chuse but oblige us to a chearful and devout service of him and our natural love to our selves should easily prevail upon us to make our daily applications and on all occasions of this mortal life humbly to represent our wants and desires to him who is so willing as well as able to do us good A PERSUASIVE TO Family Devotion
Family and therefore as often as his Sons had been Feasting he suspecting that they might have transgress'd by excess did quickly after call them together to Sanctifie them and to offer burnt Offerings for them according to their number and thus did Job continually x Job 1. 5. and King David was so concern'd to have a sober and religious Court that he solemnly resolves to thrust out thence all wicked and immoral persons and to have such only to serve him as were Faithful in the Land such as walked in a perfect way y Psa 101. 6 7. 'T is also mention'd in Commendation of Cornelius while a Jewish Proselyte that being a pious man himself he had gotten a Family about him that were such too throughout a devout man saith the Text and one that feared God with all his house z Act. 10. 2. And we may observe how zealous the Masters of Families were in the first times of Christianity to bring those of their houses into the way of Salvation for no sooner were any of them brought over to the true Religion but they made it their business to draw their Families after them thus the same Cornelius when called by a Vision from Heaven to the Faith of Christ was careful to bring his Relations with him to the Preaching of Peter a Act. 10. 24. When God had opened the heart of Lydia it soon follows that her Houshold as well as she are baptized b Act. 16. 15. in like manner the Keeper of the Prison being himself converted all his were baptized together with him c Act. 16. 38. and after Crispus the Chief Ruler of the Synagogue had embrac'd the Faith his whole Houshold believed d Act. 18. 8. It was Gods command to the Jews that they should at home instruct their Families in the Law deliver'd by Moses particularly they were to do it every Morning and Evening and also to write it on the very door-Posts of their Houses and on their Gates e Deut. 6. 7 9. Now we cannot but think 't is of equal concern that those of our Religion should in like manner have the Precepts of it daily rehearsed to them nor can we suppose that Christian Governours of Families are less oblig'd then were the Jewish either to the Service of God and Religion or to set forward the Spiritual good of such as belong to them there is a general obligation on those professing the Gospel to endeavour the good and happiness of all men as they have opportunity f Gal. 6. 10. but it is more particular and binding in respect of them to whom they are more especially related for to such they owe greater love and as for Governours of Families they are not only bound in a special manner to consult the spiritual welfare of them who are of their Family some whereof are as their very selves but also on the account of their domestick Authority have a capacity and power lodged in them to inforce the pious means by which they may be set forward in the way of holiness not to regard the Salvation of the meanest Servant in their house is very uncharitable but while they omit the exercise of Religion they are extreamly unkind to the Souls of their Wives who are their own flesh g Eph. 5. 28 29. and of their Children who are pieces of themselves and in behalf of whom St. Paul hath given particular charge that they be piously educated h Eph. 6. 4. as his Disciple Timothy had the happiness to be of whom the same Apostle doth take notice that from a Child he had known the holy Scriptures i 1 Tim. 3. 15. and imbib'd the same Faith which had first been in his Grand-Mother Lais and his Mother Eunice k 1 Tim. 1. 5. but how can those Parents be thought to have any true love to their Children who mind not to have them bred up in the practice of Piety whereby they may be season'd with an early sense of God and Religion and without which they must needs be in danger of leading a dissolute life and consequently of being unhappy here and eternally miserable in the other World In the ancient times of Christianity Parents did esteem it their greatest charge and business to get their Children well instructed in Religion and that the seeds of Vertue and Piety might be sown in them betimes Thus the Father of Origen was careful that his Son might be taught in the holy Scriptures and well Principl'd in the true Religion before he would set him on any Books of humane literature He caus'd him to apply himself to some part of the Bible every day and commit it to memory so as to be able to repeat it to him and the Lad made such proficience that within a short time he would search beyond the Words into the Sense of Scripture and not content with the ordinary Readings did propound to his Father many difficult questions l Euseb Hist Eccle. lib. 6. c. 2. such were the forward indications of his great understanding and we find in the life of Constantine how concern'd he was that his Sons might be train'd up in all good Vertues which he earnestly endeavour'd as well by his own instructions as by setting such Tutors over them as were eminently religious and after they had been admited to be Partners in the Empire he did not cease exhorting them being absent by his Royal Letters to practice the wholesome precepts they had formerly receiv'd and that they would account the knowledge of God and his holy Religion of much greater value than Worldly riches and the Empire it self m Idem de vit const ilb 4 c. 5. Gregory Nazianzen in his Funeral Oration on his Brother Caesarius speaketh of his Mother the pious Nonna that as she had been Consecrated to God her self by her religious Parents so the Piety which as a Patrimony she receiv'd from them was transmitted from her to her own Children and she was instrumental in the Conversion of her Husband to the true Religion who was afterward advanc'd to the Episcopal Dignity and zealously discharg'd that Office for above forty years n Orat. 10. And 't is declar'd by the same Father how his Sister Gorgonia had follow'd the excellent Pattern of her Mother in that she was the means of instilling Piety into her Children Grand-Children and others of her Family likewise her Husband was by her won over to the strict practice of holiness o Orat. 11. Some modern Examples might here be added but I shall only mention one which may seem eminent enough to suffice instead of all I mean Sir Matthew Hale the late Lord Chief Justice a man never to be nam'd without a reverence to his memory he was certainly the honour of his Country and gave the greatest credit to the time in which he liv'd I need not tell the World how many and great his Excellencies were 't is
to the present purpose that beside his extraordinary learning especially in his own profession and his admirable care and integrity in the Administration of his great Office he was a most pious and devout Christian and particularly was eminently so in his domestick relation he used constantly to worship God in his Family and the Duties of Religion there were always perform'd by himself if there were no Clergy-man present p Dr. Burnet in the life of Sr. Mat. Hale he took great care and omitted no endeavours toward the forming of his Children to the love and practice of Religion following them with repeated instructions which he not only deliver'd to them by word of thy mouth but that they might abide with them and still occur to their thoughts he did use to leave them in Writing giving charge that they should take Copies of them Some of his Written directions to his Children have come abroad into the World in which he did excellently prescribe concerning their due observation of the Lords day and how they were to demean themselves in the publick Duties of the Church also he doth therein enjoin them the Devotion of Prayer and reading the Scriptures in private and we find him there putting them in mind how It had been his practice to give them Line upon Line and Precept upon Precept for enabling them to steer and order their course of life through an evil and dangerous World Now the example of this wise and good man whose transcendent worth is yet fresh in our memory and his reputation so great throughout the Nation may I hope have some good influence to engage others in the same relation to a pious imitation of him as being really convinc'd like as he was of how great concern it is in reference to the future welfare of those under their care and government But if notwithstanding all Obligations to the contrary any Governors of Families should be so stupid and uncharitable as to have little regard for the spiritual good and safety of others related to them yet the love they bear toward themselves cannot suffer them to live in neglect of the important Duty we have been urging upon them for they must also consider that the state and welfare of their own souls are herein most of all concern'd Beside that the omission of Prayer and Reading the Scriptures must needs be prejudicial and of ill consequence to themselves as well as to the rest in their houses nor can they think well of their own condition to God-ward while they so much disregard his Worship and Service I say beside all this they cannot but think that the whole Sin and Guilt of this domestick Irreligion will be justly chargeable on them and they must expect that the impiety of those who are of their Families will be laid to their account as the Persons who might and ought to have prevented the same and if through want of pious Discipline and the exercises of Devotion their Children or others belonging to their charge shall become profane and wicked how will they be able to answer for it at the great and terrible day That they are so bound to consult and endeavour their good in the things which concern their future state as to be accountable to God the Judge of all for the neglect hereof they may understand from the pious and earnest advice in a Tract which goeth under St. Austin's name Written to a Friend and let each Master of a Family suppose it spoken to himself I beseech my Brother I beseech thee that thou teach in thy house to all under thy Government from the greatest to the least the Love of Holiness the Delights of the Heavenly Kingdom the Bitterness and Terrour of Hell that thou be solicitous and very careful for their Salvation because of all who are Subject to thee in thy Family thou shalt render an account do thou Teach Command Charge Perswade them that they beware of Pride Back-biting Drunkenness Fornication of Luxury Anger Perjury and Covetousness which is the Root of all Evils q De Salutar Docum c. 20. And whoever are Faithful and Conscientious herein being Zealous for Religion and for keeping up the Duties of it in their Houses implying their vigilant care that all under their domestick Authority may serve God and live like Christians they do truly approve themselves as good Servants to their great Lord and Master to him of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named r Eph. 3 15. and they shall not fail of being well rewarded by him for his kind favour shall be toward them his blessing on their Persons their Families and Estates and after they have a while devoutly serv'd him in these their Earthly dwellings he will Translate them to his own glorious Habitation they shall be admitted to be of his own Royal Houshold that they may adore and praise him for ever together with the glorifi'd Saints and blessed Angels in Heaven Where it will be some addition to their Joy to meet their Wives their Children and others of their Families whom by their good Example and pious Government they had helped forward in the way to that happy Place DEVOTIONS FOR THE USE OF FAMILIES FAMILY DEVOTIONS FOR THE MORNING A short Prayer before Reading the Scripture Oeternal God who art Morning the Lord of Heaven and Earth infinite in Holiness and of terrible Majesty to be honoured and had in reverence by all them that draw near unto thee We pray thee to beget in us awful thoughts and a pious temper of mind suitable to that great and holy God with whom we have to do that so our religious performance this Morning may find acceptance with thee help us O Lord to understand thy Will revealed in the Scripture and to receive the same with ready subjection as thou doest cause the Light of the day to arise upon us without so let thine Holy Word shine into our Souls that it may be a Light to our Feet and the guide of all our Actions till we shall come to the end of our Race and to the blessed Reward of all our holy Duties in thy Kingdom of Glory through thy Mercy in Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour A Psalm and Prayer for the Morning THe Heavens declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy work Day unto Day uttereth Speech and Night unto Night sheweth Knowledge Their line is gone out thorow all the Earth and their words to the end of the World in them hath he set a Tabernacle for the Sun Which is as a Bridegroom coming out of his Chamber and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a Race His going forth is from the end of Heaven and his Circuit unto the end of it and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof I will sing O God of thy Power yea I will sing aloud of thy Mercy in the Morning for thou hast been my Defence and
Refuge in the day of Trouble Vnto thee have I cry'd O Lord in the Morning shall my Prayer prevent thee The Lord is thy Keeper the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand The Sun shall not smile by day nor the Moon by night The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth and for ever Blessed is the man whose Delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth Meditate day and night And he shall be like a Tree planted by the Rivers of Waters that bringeth forth his fruit in his Season his leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he doth shall prosper Lead me O Lord in thy righteousness because of mine Enemies make thy way straight before me O hold thou up my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not O Almighty God who art infinitely great and glorious the Creatour and Governour of the whole World thou deservest to be feared and Worshipp'd we desire therefore with humble Reverence to Adore thy Divine Majesty presenting our Souls and Bodies as a Morning Sacrifice and earnestly imploring thy favour and blessing without which we cannot be in safety for one day or moment of our Life O lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us which is much more desireable than that of the Sun and of greater value than all the Riches this World can afford We confess O Lord that we are guilty Sinners and so justly obnoxious to the frowns of thy displeasure and the severity of thy Justice In Sin we were conceived and brought forth in iniquity there are corrupt inclinations within us to Rebellion and Disobedience against thee and thy holy Commands and these have very much prevailed in the whole course of our Lives for from our Nativity to this present hour we have been still offending the pure Eyes of thy holiness by evil thoughts and inordinate desires by vain Words and irregular Actions We have neglected the Duties by thee enjoined and committed the sins which thou hast strictly forbidden But thou art a God gracious and merciful who delighteth not in the death of a sinner and thy Son is a Mediatour of Atonement and Reconciliation for all who come unto thee through him we do beseech thee therefore for his sake in whom thou art well pleased to pardon all our offences and justifie our persons and to receive us into thy love and favour as thine adopted Children That we may be capable of these great benefits be thou pleased to work in us an unfeigned repentance of all our sins past a lively Faith in the merits of thy Son and serious resolutions of leading a sober righteous and godly life let the power of thy Grace subdue and mortifie all corrupt lusts and the Principles of sin and do thou endue us with all the Vertues of Christian holiness that being sanctified throughout all the Faculties of our Souls and Members of our Bodies may become instruments of righteousness unto holiness in thy Service and for thy Honour Accept O Lord our humble thanks for all thy manifold Mercies both spiritual and temporal for thy care and protection of us the Night past that thou hast refreshed us with sleep and preserved us to the beginning of another day as thou dost lengthen out our life so continue to us thy loving kindness which is better than life it self let thy kind providence Watch over us this day to secure us from those many dangers and evil accidents to which we are always expos'd and grant us thy blessing and furtherance in our lawful Imployments But above all we beg the presence and assistance of thy special Grace to preserve us from sin and all the temptations to it that neither inbred corruption nor the snares of the World nor the suggestions of Satan may draw us aside from the way of righteousness but let a pious fear of thy great and holy name always possess our Souls And that we may be the more careful and circumspect in all our doings help us to bear in mind that we are still under thine all-seeing Eye to which all things are naked and open and that we must one day appear before thy just Tribunal to receive according to the things done in the Body whether good or evil let the consideration of the future punishments which thou hast threatned deter us from sin and the prospect of that glorious happiness which the Gospel doth promise encourage our obedience that having a fixed eye on the eternal recompence of reward we may despise the pleasures of sin which are but for a season O Lord bless thy Church purge it from all corruptions and cause thy Gosple to be known and embraced by all the Nations of the Earth more especially be favourable to thy Church and People of this Kingdome pardon our many and great provocations withold the Judgments we have deserved guide and protect our Soveraign Lord the King and prosper his Government that it may be happy both to himself and his Subjects Comfort and relieve all that labour under any affliction of body and mind give them patient submission to thy good pleasure and an happy deliverance out of all their troubles We implore thy special love and kindness to all who are our friends or more nearly related to us bless them in all their concernments both of body and soul make them good and prosperous here and eternally happy hereafter O Lord pardon the infirmities of this our devotion and grant thy favourable acceptance through the Merits and Intercession of thy blessed Son our alone Saviour Jesus Christ who hath taught us thus further to pray unto thee Our Father c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O Heavenly Father thy Fellowship and Comunion O holy and blessed Spirit be with us and remain with us this day thenceforth and for ever Another Psalm and Prayer for the Morning MY heart is fixed O God my heart is fix'd I will sing and give praise Awake up my glory awake Psaltery and Harp I my self will awake right early I will praise thee O Lord among the people I will sing unto thee among the Nations For thy Mercy is great unto the Heavens and thy truth unto the Clouds The Lord is good unto all and his tender Mercies are over all his Works He holdeth our soul in life and suffereth not our foot to be moved I will extol thee my God O my King I will bless thy name for ever and ever Every day will I bless thee and I will praise thy name for ever and ever The day is thine the night also is thine thou hast prepared the light and the Sun Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice O Lord thou art my God early will I seek thee There be many that say who will shew us any good Lord Lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us
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
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
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
low Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord for he shall pluck my feet out of the Net Hear me speedily O Lord my spirit faileth me hide not thy face from me lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit And enter not into judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified For thy name sake O Lord pardon mine iniquity for it is great Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and afflicted The troubles of mine heart are enlarged ô bring thou me out of my distresses Look upon mine affliction and my pain and forgive all my sins Forsake me not O Lord O my God be not far from me Make hast to help me O Lord my Salvation The Prayer O Lord our heavenly Father who art a God full of compassion and hast promised that if we call upon thee in trouble thou wilt deliver us bow down thine ear to our supplications and let us find mercy to help in this time of need Our life is in thine hand for in thee we live and move and have our being from day to day and when thou hidest thy face we are troubled at the breath of thy displeasure we wither as Grass and fade away as the flower of the Field but thy Mercy is over all thy Works thou doest not willingly afflict nor grieve the Children of men thine anger endureth but for a moment but in thy favour is life O Lord be favourable at this time and extend thy wonted pity to thy Servant now labouring under thy visitation who is there in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth on whom we can relie for succour but thy self alone Thou canst send ease and recovery when humane skill and natural means do quite fail and thou hast declared in thy Word that the Prayer of Faith shall save the sick O Lord strengthen our faith and fulfil thy gracious promise our trust is only in thee for on thee do we depend for life and health and all things 'T is thy property that thou doest kill and make alive thou doest wound and also heal that thou turnest man to destruction and sayest return ye Children of men We do therefore most heartily beseech thee O merciful Father that as thou hast laid thine affliction on the person of thy Servant so thou wouldest of thy tender compassion remove it from him her bless the means that may be used for his her recovery rebuke the distemper and if it be thy blessed Will restore him her again to perfect health O blessed Jesus who when thou wast on earth hadst compassion on the sick and didst go about healing all manner of diseases shew now thy pity speak but the word and thy Servant shall be whole Thou Lord our Redeemer who hast taken our frail nature and didst become like unto us in all things Sin only excepted have a fellow feeling we pray thee of our infirmities Thou who art the mystical head of all the Faithful afford thy present kindness to this afflicted member of thine own body which is the Church Grant O merciful Father that while his her bodily weakness or pain shall continue he she may have inward strength and comfort in the soul Vouchsafe unto him her the constant use of his her reason and understanding and a pious exercise of all Christian graces Enable him her with unfeigned repentance to lament the errours of his her whole life and by a lively Faith to lay hold on the Merits of Christ for Pardon and Salvation help him her with submission and godly patience to bear thy chastisement resigning himself herself to thy good pleasure and let his her whole trust and considence be in thee and thy gracious promises Grant him her a full remission of all his her sins and a comfortable assurance of thy love and favour which is more desireable than life it self O most wise and powerful God who canst make all things work together for good sanctifie this thy fatherly correction that it may turn to his her spiritual benefit and let the issue thereof be comfortable and happy grant that the affliction which at present doth seem grievous may afterward yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness and that it may make him her more fit and prepar'd for that happy state in which there shall be no more sickness nor â—orrow but all fulness of joy and pleasure for evermore And help us all seriously to consider our own frailty and the great uncertainty of our present life to live in expectation of death and by a constant practice of holiness to lay up for our selves a good foundation against the time to come that when this earthly Tabernacle shall be dissolv'd we may be received into an eternal habitation in the highest Heavens Good Lord hear our prayer and let our supplications find a gracious acceptance through the worthiness of him who is our Intercessour at thy right hand In whose holy words we further call upon 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 Amen A PERSUASIVE TO Private Devotion A PERSUASIVE TO Private Devotion ALTHOUGH it be the more eminent part of our Christian Devotion when we join with others in the Service of God who is thereby openly own'd and honour'd by us and we do by our concurrence both encourage and assist the Piety of others whether it be in the greater Assemblies of the Church or the lesser of Families at home yet however it must be said that this alone doth by no means fulfil our duty to God nor yet sufficiently answer the needs and exigencies of our own State and therefore private and single Devotion ought also to be minded by all who would please the Almighty and enjoy his favour by all who would consult their safety amidst the many particular circumstances and emergencies of their life and every Christian should think of religious Worship as one of the Ancients doth teach him That it must not only be perform'd in the Church but also in the Family and in his private Chamber that he have God always hallowed in his heart for that he himself is the Temple of God a Lact. l. 6. de ver Cult cap. 25. And by another before him it is given for a note of a good Christian that he will pray in every place but so as not to appear openly to others to do it b Clem. Alex Strom. 7. Thou must have saith a third
and all other perfections and thy Works have been wonderful and gracious towards the Sons of Men. But what is Man that thou art mindful of him and what am I vile Creature that I should be admitted to thy Throne of Grace O Lord I am but Dust and Ashes and therefore unworthy thou shouldst have any regard unto me I am a polluted Sinner and therefore unfit for thy presence or any testimony of thy favour the frame and disposition of my heart is to sin and folly and the practice of my life have been always disobedient and provoking to this very day I desire therefore with shame and hearty repentance to humble my self begging thy merciful pardon of all my sins past through the Merits of Christ and the assistance of thy special Grace for the future whereby I may be enabled to lead a sober righteous and godly life Since I am thy Creature who hast made all things for thy self and thine own glory let it be my chief care to serve thee and whether I eat or drink or whatever I do to do all in thy fear and to the honour of thy great Name as I have been bought with a price even the precious blood of thy dear Son so grant I may glorifie thee both in my body and soul which are thine and whatever power or opportunities thou dost vouchsafe unto me help me to employ the same in doing good and discharging my Duty both toward thee and toward men that I may not be barren or unfruitful but always abounding in the Work of the Lord and for the greater usefulness and comfort of my life be thou pleas'd to continue to me my understanding and senses together with health and soundness of body and let my Members and Faculties be always instruments of righteousness unto holiness O stablish my heart by thy Grace that I may be constant in thy Faith and Fear in sincere obedience to thy holy commands and so after a patient continuance in well-doing may receive the promis'd reward of eternal life O Lord I do thankfully acknowledge the continual Mercies of thy good Providence by which I have been preserv'd and cherish'd hitherto I bless thee for the protection and refreshment of the night past and that thou hast prolonged my life to another day be thou pleas'd to guide and defend me throughout the same bless and prosper my endeavours in every lawful undertaking and suffer me not to fall into any danger or unhappy accident Above all do thou preserve me from sin and the temptations to it and let neither the World the Flesh nor the Devil draw me aside from thee into any wicked practice but grant that I may still walk on in the way of righteousness without turning from it into those sinful paths that lead down to the Chambers of death Bless thy people throughout the World and send thy comfort and deliverance to all who are in any distress or affliction of body or mind Preserve this Church and Kingdom to which I belong and make us happy in Truth Righteousness and Peace do good to all my friends and if I have any Enemies forgive them and turn their hearts O Lord pardon the defects of this my devotion accept my person and hear my Prayer through the Righteousness and Intercession of thy blessed Son my alone Saviour In whose own Words I further call upon thee Our Father c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O heavenly Father thy Communion O blessed Spirit be with me this day and for evermore Amer. Another Prayer for the Morning CAuse me O Lord to hear thy loving kindness in the Morning for in thee do I trust Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul unto thee Order my steps in thy Word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me O Lord my God who art the Author of my being and the giver of all the good things which I have at any time receiv'd I do here offer up my bounden Duty of Worship and Praise and I do present my Soul and Body to be consecreated unto thee and thy Service despise not I pray thee the Work of thine own hands but though I am vile and unworthy by reason of Sin yet according to thy rich Mercy and for the worthiness of thy beloved Son be thou pleas'd to overlook whatever is amiss in me and to receive me graciously as one of thine adopted Children That I may be qualify'd for thy love and favour make me conformable to thy divine Image in righteousness and true holiness do thou govern my will and affections that I may chuse the good and refuse the evil that I may love what thou doest command and hate whatever thou hast forbidden O Lord who knowest my ignorance and folly instruct me how to demean my self in all the affairs and passages of my life thou who seest my weakness strengthen me by thy Grace that I may be able to resist all evil motions and temptations to Sin and to perform all the Duties of my Christian obedience suffer me not to err from thy Commandements but let the direction of thy Word and Spirit be as a voice behind me shewing the way wherein I should walk when I am turning to the right hand or to the left confirm my Soul in thy true Religion and the holy fear of thy great Name make me steadfast and immoveable in thy Service that being faithful unto the death I may at length receive that Crown of everlasting Life which thou hast promis'd Be thou pleas'd to bless me in my body with health and strength in my Soul with encrease of divine Knowledg of true Piety and all saving Vertues and give me such a measure of temporal good things as may best contribute to my real happiness I yield thee humble thanks that I have been preserv'd and refresh'd the Night past that I am kept alive to this Morning as thou hast brought me out of the shades of Night so help me to cast off the sinful works of darkness and to walk as becometh a Child of Light let thy presence be with me and thy blessing upon me in the day following give thine Angels charge to keep me in all my ways that I fall not into any disaster and let thy Grace be sufficient for me that I be not exercis'd in any evil work but grant me to abide in perfect safety and to be still holy and upright before thee to the end of this day and of my whole life through my blessed Saviour Jesus Christ in whose holy Name and Words I continue to pray unto thee Our Father c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O Heavenly Father thy Communion O blessed Spirit be with me this Day and for evermore Amen A Psalm and Prayer for the Morning on the Lords day I Laid me down and slept I awaked Sunday Morning for the Lord sustained me O God thou art my God early
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
and being and 't is of thy great Mercy I am not consumed thy goodness hath been my support and comfort ever since I was born I do therefore prostrate my self with humble adoration submitting my soul and body to thy divine Majesty and offering up my thankful acknowledgments of all thy Mercies and Benefits conferr'd upon me I bless thee for my redemption by Christ and all the means of Grace and Salvation for the comforts of this present life and all my temporal enjoyments I thank thee for that kind Providence which hath watched over me this day that thou hast continued my life and preserv'd my person from those many evils to which I am alwaies expos'd O Lord I am less than the least of all the Mercies I have received at thine hands for my sins have been very many and exceeding great I have broken thy righteous Laws both by neglecting what thou hast commanded and by doing what thou hast strictly forbidden and my practice hath been very unsuitable to the rich Grace and holy Precepts of thy excellent Gospel so that I have justly deserv'd thy wrathful displeasure and the severities of thy justice But thou art a God plenteous in Mercy ready to forgive and thou hast given thine own Son to be a propitiation for Sin O Lord I come unto thee in his Name most humbly beseeching thee that through his Merits the Transgressions of my life may be all blotted out and my person freely justifi'd from all unrighteousness More particularly I beg the pardon of whatever Sins I have fallen into the day past whether in thought word or deed O merciful Father be thou perfectly reconcil'd unto me this Evening And be thou pleas'd to deliver me more and more from the power and dominion of sin that I may be the servant of righteousness and live in constant obedience to thee and thy commands strengthen me by thy Grace against the corruptions within me and all temptations from without and keep me by thy mighty power through Faith unto Salvation Bless thy Church and People throughout the World and let the Kingdom of thy Son be daily enlarg'd Be propitious to this Church and Nation pardon our great sins and avert the judgments we have deserv'd keep us in peace and safety and let truth and holiness still flourish among us Shew thy favour to all my friends to such as have done me any good or do wish me well bestowing on them all the blessings that pertain both to life and godliness Have pity on all who are in any distress or tribulation giving to them thy speedy comfort and relief and be thou a present help in the needful time of trouble to all who cry unto thee finally I commend my self to thy Fatherly care this Night humbly praying that thy watchful Providence may be my guard and defence grant unto me a quiet and comfortable rest that my frail nature being refresh'd thereby I may awake the next Morning the better fitted for the Duties of another day Hear me O Father of Mercies and do for me above what I can ask or think through the Merits of my blessed Redeemer To whom with thy self and the holy Ghost be all Glory Dominion and Praise World without End Amen Sunday Evening Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O heavenly Father thy Fellowship and Communion O holy and blessed Spirit be with me all thine and mine henceforth for evermore Amen A Psalm and Prayer for the Evening of the Lords day IT is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord to sing praises unto thy name O most high To shew forth thy loving kindness in the morning and thy faithfulness every night The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof the World and they that dwell therein Thy hands have made me and fashion'd me give me understanding that I may learn thy commandements All thy works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee They shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy Power My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee and my soul which thou hast redeemed I was glad when they said unto me Let us go into the house of the Lord. One day in thy Courts is better than a thousand How sweet is thy Word unto my tast yea sweeter then hony to my mouth Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee I will delight my self in thy Statutes and I will not forget thy Word I will bless the Lord who hath given me Counsel my Reins also shall instruct me in the night season Into thine hands I commit my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth O Most glorious God the mighty Creatour and wise Governour of all things the heaven is thine the earth also is thine with all that in them is and thou canst do whatsoever thou pleasest in all places of thy dominion wherefore unto thee alone it doth appertain to receive honour and worship and service from the Sons of men I do thankfully acknowledge it is a very great favour and priviledge that I am so often admitted into thy presence and have this liberty granted of presenting my supplications unto thee who art a God hearing Prayer for what am I vile Dust and Ashes that I should take upon me to speak unto the Lord or how can I expect to find any acceptance with thee who have so greatly offended thine holy Majesty by my repeated transgressions O Lord my very righteousness is as filthy rags and my best performances are sinful and poluted I have waited upon thee this day in the duties of thy Worship but it hath been with much weakness and distraction my thoughts and affections have not been heavenly and devout nor have I honour'd thee as I ought on the day consecrated to thee and thy service But O God who art gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness be thou pleas'd to overlook whatever hath been amiss in my life and actions from my Nativity to this moment grant me an interest in the Merits and Redemption of the Lord Christ and let his precious blood cleanse me from all unrighteousness pardon the defects of my obedience and of all my religious duties through his most perfect Sacrifice who hath taken away Sin by the Oblation of himself once for all Add thy blessing to all the opportunities and means of Grace vouchsaf'd to me and cause thy Word to abide in me that it may be as good seed taking deep root and bringing forth abundantly the fruits of righteousness Grant O Lord that as I have been created by thee so I may make it my chief business to honor and serve thee both in soul and body and as Christ died for my Sins and rose again for my Justification so I may crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof and rise daily from the death of sin to a life of holiness Enable me